C.P. Radhakrishnan takes oath as 15th vice-president of India

Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan was on Friday, 12 September, sworn in as India’s 15th vice-president, in a brief ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The oath was administered by President Droupadi Murmu.

The 67-year-old Radhakrishnan, dressed in a red kurta, took the oath in English in the name of God. He secured the position after defeating the joint opposition nominee, B. Sudershan Reddy, by a margin of 152 votes in the vice presidential election held on Tuesday.

The election followed the sudden resignation of former vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar on 21 July, citing health concerns. Dhankhar was present at the ceremony, marking his first public appearance since stepping down.

The swearing-in was attended by key political figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, and BJP president J.P. Nadda. Former vice-presidents Hamid Ansari and M. Venkaiah Naidu also graced the event.

The new vice-president’s election reinforces the stability of India’s parliamentary framework after Dhankhar’s unexpected resignation and sets the stage for continuity in the Rajya Sabha, where the Vice President serves as the ex-officio chairman.

With PTI inputs