CP Radhakrishnan to take oath as India’s 15th Vice President at Rashtrapati Bhawan today

The nation’s capital is poised for a historic moment today as Vice President-elect Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan will be sworn in as India’s 15th Vice President at Rashtrapati Bhawan. President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath of office in a ceremony scheduled for this morning, September 12.

According to sources within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), the date and timing of the event were finalised in consultation with astrologers, who considered September 12 an “auspicious” day.

Several prominent leaders have already reached New Delhi to attend the ceremony. These include Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, and Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar.

Radhakrishnan, the NDA nominee, secured a decisive victory in the Vice Presidential election held earlier this week, defeating Opposition candidate and former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy. He polled 452 votes, while Reddy managed 300.

Announcing the results, Rajya Sabha Secretary General and Returning Officer P.C. Mody stated that 767 out of 781 MPs voted, recording a turnout of 98.2 per cent. Of these, 752 votes were valid, fixing the winning threshold at 377 votes.

While the NDA had a guaranteed strength of 427 votes, Radhakrishnan’s margin widened with the support of 11 YSRCP MPs and a surprising 14 additional votes, believed to have come through cross-voting from Opposition ranks.

The election also witnessed abstentions, with seven MPs from the Biju Janata Dal, four from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, one from the Shiromani Akali Dal, and an Independent MP choosing to stay away.

Following the result on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Radhakrishnan, praising his lifelong commitment to public service.

“Congratulations to Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji on winning the 2025 Vice Presidential election. His life has always been devoted to serving society and empowering the poor and marginalised. I am confident that he will be an outstanding VP, who will strengthen our Constitutional values and enhance Parliamentary discourse,” PM Modi wrote on X.