Vice-Presidential Election 2017: Nine candidates file nominations, none likely to make it to the ballot

New Delhi: Nine candidates have filed nomination papers in the last four days for the 5 August Vice-presidential election. Four papers were outrightly rejected by the returning officer as they had neither filed the certified copy of the electoral roll to prove that they are voters for a Lok Sabha seat nor had they deposited Rs 15,000 in cash as security deposit. [caption id=“attachment_2924914” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Vice-President Hamid Ansari. Reuters[/caption] The nomination papers of the rest are also liable to be rejected on 19 July, the day of scrutiny, for not having 20 electors as proposer and as many as seconders. The electoral college which elects the vice president, who is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, consists of elected and nominated members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha. The total strength of the two Houses is 790, but there are some vacancies. So far, neither the ruling NDA, nor the opposition have announced their candidates for the elections.