Correct Option
The correct option is 2 only.
Explanation
The election of the Vice President of India is governed by Article 66 of the Constitution. It mandates an indirect election method utilizing a specific electoral college distinct from that of the President.
Statement-wise Analysis
- Statement 1 is Incorrect. The Vice President is not elected directly by the people. The election is indirect, conducted by an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament.
- Statement 2 is Correct. As per Article 66(1), the election is held in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. The voting is conducted by secret ballot.
- Statement 3 is Incorrect. The electoral college for the Vice President is not identical to that of the President. There are two major differences:
- The Vice President's electoral college consists of both elected and nominated members of Parliament (the President's electoral college consists only of elected members).
- It does not include members of the State Legislative Assemblies (the President's electoral college includes elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies).
Key Takeaway
The Vice President is elected by all members of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha), including nominated members, but excludes members of State Legislative Assemblies entirely.