The election of India’s Vice President is a special process governed by Article 66 of the Constitution. Unlike general elections, where citizens cast votes through EVMs, this election is decided only by the Electoral College, consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament. Interestingly, even nominated MPs participate in this vote, which is not the case in Presidential elections.

The voting system used here is Proportional Representation by means of the Single Transferable Vote (STV). This means every Member of Parliament has to rank the candidates as 1, 2, 3, and so on, instead of choosing just one. The ballot is secret, ensuring free choice.

This is exactly why Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) cannot be used. EVMs are built for simple majority voting, where a voter selects only one candidate. They cannot handle the preferential ranking system required for STV. Hence, the Election Commission of India conducts the process through ballot papers, with the Secretary-General of Rajya Sabha acting as Returning Officer.

In short, ballot papers remain the only constitutional and practical method for the Vice President’s election, making this one of the rare instances where technology takes a backseat in Indian democracy.