7 August 2012 Last updated at 01:25 ET

India vote to elect vice-president ends

Hamid Ansari is a former diplomat

Voting has ended in India to elect a new vice-president.

The front-runner is the country's existing Vice-President Hamid Ansari. He is being challenged by opposition candidate, Jaswant Singh.

The vice-president's position is largely ceremonial. The term runs for five years.

Last month, former Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee won the presidential election. He replaced Pratibha Patil, who was India's first woman president.

Correspondents say Mr Ansari, 75, is set to win a second term.

He is being backed by the ruling Congress party and its allies, while Mr Singh is being supported by the opposition, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

A former diplomat, Mr Ansari also headed a commission for India's minorities.

Nearly 800 MPs were eligible to vote in Tuesday's poll.