Votes marked with any other pen are liable to be rejected.O. Rajagopal and Madhubani MP Hukum Dev Narayan Yadav started doing the rounds as possible contenders for the post. In the election for the vice-president, a candidate requires 20 proposers and 20 seconders who should be members of Parliament. The scrutiny will take place on July 19 and the last date for withdrawing from the electoral battle is July 21. Vidyaغير مجاز مي باشدar Rao, former Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel, BJP’s veteran leader from Kerala O. Sheriff, will be the returning officer for the VP election. The term of the present incumbent, Hamid Ansari, who has held the post for two consecutive terms, ends on August 10.After the ink controversy during Rajya Sabha polls in Haryana last year, the Election Commission has decided to use special pens for electors to mark their votes in the July 17 presidential election and the vice-presidential polls. Like presidential polls, no whip can be issued by political parties as the election is through a secret ballot.Elections for the vice-president will be held on August 5.

However, the ruling party could again spring a "surprise candidate", as it did for the presidential election when it named Ram Nath Kovind, former Bihar governor, as the NDA’s candidate.Hukum Dev Narayan YadavThe ruling NDA, which has a majority in Lok Sabha and has received support for its presidential candidate from some non-NDA, parties like the YSRCP, JD(U), TRS, BJD and AIADMK, is hopeful that its candidate would comfortably win the VP post as well. RajagopalElection Commissioner Nasim Zaidi said notification for the election will be issued on July 4 and nominations can be submitted by July 18.Secretary general of Rajya Sabha, Shumsher K.The electoral college which Spring forming machine Manufacturers elects the vice-president, who is also the ex-officio chairman.