Voting is underway in India to elect a new Vice-President, in a high-octane contest where over 4,500 lawmakers across the country are eligible to exercise their franchise. The front-runner is ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate and former governor of the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, Jagdeep Dhankhar. He is being challenged by opposition candidate Margaret Alva, a former governor and federal minister. The Vice-President is elected by an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament -- the Rajya Sabha (Upper House) and the Lok Sabha (Lower House). The Vice-President is the second-highest constitutional office in India. The Vice-President serves as the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha and also acts as the chancellor of the central universities. The winner of Saturday's contest will replace incumbent Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu whose five-year term ends on August 10. Also read: Voting underway to elect new India President Who's Dhankhar? Born on 18 May, 1951, in Kithana, a small village in the western state of Rajasthan, to a farmer family, Dhankhar completed his graduation in law and entered politics at a young age. He subsequently became a member of the Rajasthan state assembly and then India's Parliament. He also served as a senior advocate with India's Supreme Court.