National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee and Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan was elected Tuesday as the 15th Vice President of India, defeating opposition candidate Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, a former Supreme Court judge.

Radhakrishnan secured 452 votes in the contest, which was conducted in Parliament earlier in the day. Members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha voted between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., with over 98 percent of MPs casting their ballots. Counting began at 6 p.m. under the supervision of Returning Officer P.C. Mody, Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha.

The election was necessitated after Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from office on July 21 citing health reasons. Dhankhar, who had been in office since 2022, stepped down abruptly, creating a rare mid-term vacancy in the post.

Radhakrishnan, a veteran BJP leader and two-time Lok Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu, enjoyed the ruling coalition’s numerical advantage in both Houses of Parliament. The NDA’s strength gave him a clear edge over Reddy, the INDIA bloc’s nominee. Still, the ballot was conducted through a secret vote, with MPs free from party whip, leaving room for speculation over possible cross-voting.

Officials reported a smooth polling process inside the new Parliament building. After the counting concluded, results were announced in the evening, confirming Radhakrishnan’s comfortable margin of victory.

With his election, Radhakrishnan will now assume office as the Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, succeeding Dhankhar. The Vice President of India is constitutionally the second-highest office in the country, following the President, and serves as the presiding officer of the Upper House.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Radhakrishnan on his victory, calling him “a seasoned leader with years of legislative experience and dedication to public service.” Leaders from the ruling alliance described the result as a reaffirmation of the NDA’s majority in Parliament.

The Opposition bloc, meanwhile, said its decision to field Reddy, a retired Supreme Court judge, was aimed at presenting “an alternative vision for parliamentary democracy.”

Radhakrishnan is expected to be sworn in later this week, ahead of the Rajya Sabha’s next session.