Why MPs need training before Vice-Presidential election? It's complicated

Two days before the Vice-President election, both the ruling NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc started preparing their MPs for the voting process. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with other BJP ministers and MPs, attended a two-day workshop, Sansad Karyashala, which started in New Delhi on September 7. The INDIA bloc also carried a mock polling session for its MPs on September 8. But what exactly is the election process of the Vice President and President that makes such training necessary, and why is it considered complicated?

The Vice-Presidential election on September 9 follows ex-VP Jagdeep Dhankhar's sudden resignation in July due to "health reasons".

While the Presidential election is generally more complex, involving weighted votes for MLAs based on state populations and adjusted MP votes, the Vice President election is simpler since only MPs vote and all votes carry equal weight.

However, it remains complicated because the single transferable vote system requires ranking candidates and transferring votes if no one meets the quota initially. This is why MPs undergo training to understand the procedure and ensure every vote is cast and counted correctly.

Here's more on how the Vice President and President are elected and why it needs training.

HOW IS THE VICE PRESIDENT OF INDIA ELECTED?

The election of the Vice President of India is governed by Article 66(1) of the Constitution.

The process follows a system of proportional representation through a single transferable vote, and voting is conducted by secret ballot.

MPs rank the two candidates for Vice President by marking their preferences on the ballot, indicating which candidate they prefer more. In this case, there are only two candidates, hence, first and second preferences would be marked.

Under proportional representation, the system ensures that the winning candidate reflects the collective preferences of all voters, in this case, the members of both houses of Parliament: Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Rather than simply needing a simple majority, the election takes into account the ranked choices of every voter to arrive at a fair outcome.

During counting, a candidate must reach a certain quota to win.

If no candidate achieves this quota in the first round, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are transferred to the next preferred candidate on each ballot.

This process continues until a candidate meets the required quota and is declared elected.

Voting is conducted by secret ballot, ensuring that each member's choice remains confidential. This prevents outside influence or pressure from affecting how MPs vote and maintains the integrity of the election.

In the Vice President's election, only members of both houses of Parliament participate as voters. The combination of proportional representation, the single transferable vote system, and secret voting makes the process more complex than a standard majority vote, which is why MPs often undergo training before casting their ballots.

HOW IS THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA ELECTED?

The President of India is elected through an indirect process, meaning citizens do not vote directly. Instead, an Electoral College casts the votes.

This college consists of elected members of both Houses of Parliament and elected members of State and Union Territory Legislative Assemblies. The election uses a proportional representation system with a single transferable vote.

Each vote has a value: the weight of an MLA's vote depends on the population of their state, while the total value of MP votes is adjusted to maintain balance.

This ensures fair representation for both the states and the central government.

A candidate must be nominated by at least 50 members of the Electoral College and seconded by another 50.

To win, a candidate must secure more than half of the total valid votes. If no one achieves this majority in the first round, votes are redistributed according to the next preference until a candidate crosses the required threshold.

Voting is conducted by secret ballot, allowing members to vote freely without outside influence. This prevents pressure from political parties or other groups and maintains the integrity of the election. After voting, the ballots are carefully counted. The candidate who obtains more than 50% of the total value of valid votes is declared the winner.

If no candidate reaches this majority initially, the process of transferring votes continues until someone achieves the necessary majority.

The President's term is five years, but re-election is possible. If the office becomes vacant before the term ends, the Vice President serves as acting President until a new election is held.

The complexity of the VP and Presidential elections lies in the combination of proportional representation, ranked voting through the single transferable vote, and, in the case of the President, weighted votes based on state populations. Each step, from casting ranked preferences to transferring votes during counting, requires careful understanding and avoiding mistakes. This intricate system makes training essential, as MPs must be familiar with the procedure, vote value calculations, and the transfer mechanism to ensure their votes are valid, and the election is conducted smoothly and fairly.

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