Vice-Presidential election: Voting ends, total poll percentage 98.21%

New Delhi [India] August 5 (ANI): Voting for Vice Presidential Election has ended with a total poll percentage of 98.21%. Total 771 out of 785 MPs cast their votes. The counting process will begin at 6 p.m. National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee and former union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu is contesting against Opposition nominee Gopalkrishna Gandhi. The winner of the polls will be appointed as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. The term of incumbent Vice-President Hamid Ansari, who held the position for two consecutive terms, will come to an end on August 10. The voting began at 10 a.m. The results are expected to be declared by 7 p.m. today. The Vice-President is selected through a secret ballot by the members of the Electoral College consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. The nominated Members of Rajya Sabha as well as of Lok Sabha are also eligible to be included in the Electoral College and, therefore, are entitled to participate in the election. Members of Parliament had to use special pens for marking their choice. Votes marked with any other pen are liable to be rejected. The ballot paper contained the names of the contesting candidates, but did not contain any election symbol. Unlike the President, the Vice-President is not allotted any special residential privileges while in office. (ANI)