October 2016 Children's Group vice-presidential election
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A vice-presidential election was held in Children's Group on 2 October 2016 to elect the vice-president. The polling and counting of votes took place on the same date along with the declaration of the results. The returning officer in the election was prime minister Varuna Sriraya.
The presidential election was also held along with the vice-presidential election.
Background
The vice-presidential election, along with the presidential election, was held indirectly by the members of the executive council comprising of the top senior-most leaders of the nation - Varuna Sriraya, Tanishkaa Patranabish, Sarala Baishya, and Anoushkaa Patranabish. Each member's vote has the value of two votes with the total votes being eight. In order to win, a candidate is required to receive five votes.
Election
The election took place on 2 October 2016 and the votes were counted and the results were announced on the same day. Prime Minister Varuna Sriraya was the returning officer in the election.
Candidates
Two candidates had contested the vice-presidential election.
| Portrait | Candidate | Positions held | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| File:Portrait of Arnab Sil.png | Arnab Sil (born 2004) |
Vice-President (since May 2016) Minister of Finance (since April 2016) Minister of Child Welfare (2015-2016) |
Friends Society Freedom Party |
| File:Photo of Abhiraj Kar.jpg | Abhiraj Kar (born 2006) |
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Parliamentary Affairs (since September 2016) Minister of State for Finance (2015-2016) |
Friends Society Independent Party |
As a part of the alliance between the Friends Society Secular Party and the Friends Society Independent Party, both parties decided to support each other's candidates in the presidential and vice-presidential election. While the Freedom Party supported Secular Party's Anoushkaa Patranabish in the presidential election, the Secular Party in turn supported Arnab Sil in the vice-presidential election. Incumbent vice-president Arnab Sil sought for a second term in office announcing his candidacy as the joint candidate of the United Progressive Alliance.
While the de facto opposition, the Friends Society Independent Party announced Abhiraj Kar, the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs as its candidate.
Results
| Candidate | Party | Electoral College votes |
% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arnab Sil | Friends Society Freedom Party | 5 | 62.5 | |
| Abhiraj Kar | Friends Society Independent Party | 3 | 37.5 | |
Incumbent vice-president Arnab Sil received 62.5% of the total votes, 12.5% votes less than his tally in the previous election. While his rival candidate Abhiraj Kar secured 37.5% of the votes. Arnab Sil was re-elected to office for a second term.
Aftermath
Less than two months after his re-election, Arnab Sil announced his sudden resignation on 27 November 2016 after a brief meeting with prime minister Varuna Sriraya. His resignation caused a constitutional crisis as there was no set vice-presidential line of succession. The cabinet met moments after the resignation and decided to approve the name of Bishnu Chetry, then serving home minister and a former vice-president to become the acting vice-president and remain in that capacity until fresh elections were held.
After his resignation, Arnab Sil announced that the Freedom Party will withdraw from the alliance with Secular Party during the December 2016 general election and independently contest the election.
