Ex-West Bengal governor elected India’s VP

Former governor of the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, Jagdeep Dhankhar, was elected as the country’s next Vice-President on Saturday.

Dhankhar, who was fielded by India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, defeated his main challenger and opposition candidate Margaret Alva, also a former state governor and federal minister, by a huge margin.

Voting to elect India’s 14th Vice-President was held earlier in the day. Dhankhar will replace incumbent Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu whose five-year term ends on August 10.

The Vice-President is elected by an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament -- the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) and the Lok Sabha (Lower House).

The Vice-President is the second-highest constitutional office in India. The Vice-President serves as the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha and also acts as the chancellor of the central universities.