Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 11: The oath-taking ceremony of vice president-elect Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan will be held on the morning of Friday, September 12, at Rashtrapati Bhawan. President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath of office.

According to an NDA source, the date and time were chosen as auspicious by the officiating priest. Invitations have been sent to senior NDA leaders and other dignitaries for the ceremony.

Radhakrishnan, the NDA nominee, was elected as the 15th vice president of India on Tuesday, securing 452 votes against Opposition candidate and former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy, who received 300 votes.

Rajya Sabha secretary general and returning officer P C Mody said that of the 781 MPs, 767 cast their votes, marking a turnout of 98.2%. Of these, 752 were valid and 15 invalid, bringing the majority mark to 377.

While the NDA had the support of 427 MPs on paper, 11 YSRCP lawmakers also backed Radhakrishnan. The NDA candidate eventually received 14 votes more than expected, indicating possible cross-voting from the Opposition.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Radhakrishnan on X, stating that his life of service to society and dedication to empowering the poor and marginalised would make him “an outstanding Vice President who will strengthen Constitutional values and enrich Parliamentary discourse.”

Thirteen MPs, including seven from the Biju Janata Dal, four from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, one from the Shiromani Akali Dal, and one Independent, abstained from voting.