Voting to elect 14th vice president begins(Lead)

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) Voting to elect the country's 14th vice president began here Tuesday with MPs from both houses of parliament exercising their franchise to choose between UPA's Hamid Ansari and NDA's Jaswant Singh.

Ansari, who is expected to win the contest, is seeking re-election.

Voting began at 10 a.m. and will continue till 5 p.m. Counting of votes will be taken up at 6 p.m.

The vice president is elected by members of an electoral college consisting of members of both houses of parliament in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote. Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha are also entitled to take part in the election.

Ansari is being backed by the Congress, most other parties of the United Progressive Alliance, those supporting the alliance from outside and some Left parties.

Jaswant Singh has the backing of the National Democratic Alliance as well as the AIADMK.

Congress leaders said they hoped Ansari would get over 500 votes in an electoral college currently having an estimated 787 members.