Jagdeep Dhankhar elected 14th Vice-President of India

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar elected to be the next and 14th Vice President of India as he won the Vice-Presidential poll on Saturday.

NDA candidate Dhankhar on Saturday won the vice presidential election by more than 500 votes, while opposition candidate Margaret Alva bagged less than 200 votes, according to the news agency PTI report. The report said after counting of 725 votes, as many as 15 were found to be invalid.

Senior leaders congratulated Mr. Dhankhar on his victory. President Droupadi Murmu said the nation would benefit from his long and rich experience in public life. “My best wishes for a productive and successful tenure,” she said.

Outgoing Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu said the nation would greatly benefit from Mr. Dhankhar’s vast experience and legal expertise. “My best wishes for a successful and fruitful tenure,” he said.

Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Mr. Dhankhar and congratulated him. “I am confident he will be an outstanding Vice-President. Our nation will gain tremendously from his intellect and wisdom,” Modi said

Vice President is the second-highest constitutional post in India.

Jagdeep Dhankhar will take the oath of office on August 11, a day after the term of the incumbent Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu ends.