Vice Presidential Election 2017: India will get its next Vice President-elect by the evening today. While ruling NDA candidate M Venkaiah Naidu is likely to win, Opposition will be hoping to garner enough numbers for its nominee Gopal Krishna Gandhi. The voting will begin at 10 am in Parliament where members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will cast their votes. The polling will end at 5 pm. The ruling BJP-led NDA dispensation has a majority in the lower House and wants to make sure that no embarrassing situation like cross-voting takes place. During Presidential election, ruling party of Odisha, BJD, and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JDU had thrown their weight behind NDA nominee Ramnath Kovind, who eventually won. However, both parties have announced they would back Gandhi. Notably, Kumar recently broke the grand alliance of JD(U), RJD and Congress to join hands with the BJP to form a new NDA government in Bihar. The candidate who bags 50 per cent plus one vote of the total valid votes cast will be declared as the winner.

Here are 10 things you need to know about the Vice Presidential election

1. MPs will use special pens for marking their choice in the election.

2. The counting of votes will start once the polling ends and the results will be declared by 7.00 pm, according to Election Commission.

Watch this video

3. It has been learnt that political parties won’t be able to issue any whip as it will be a secret ballot voting.

4. The term of the incumbent Vice-President Hamid Ansari will end on August 10. Ansari has held the post for two consecutive terms.

5. The Vice-President is also the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

6. The electoral college which elects the Vice-President consists of elected and nominated members of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.

7. The total strength of the two Houses is 790. However, there are two vacancies in the Lok Sabha and one in Rajya Sabha. BJP MP in Lok Sabha Chhedi Paswan is barred from casting vote following a judicial pronouncement against him.

8. In the 545-member Lok Sabha, while the BJP has 281 members, the NDA accounts for 338 members.

9. At present, in the 243-member Rajya Sabha, the BJP as of now has 56 members, while the Congress with 59 is the single largest party.

10. The ballot paper shall contain the names of the contesting candidates but does not carry any party symbol.