NEW DELHI: Jagdeep Dhankhar on late Monday resigned as vice president, citing health issues and the need to adhere to medical advice. He tendered his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, invoking Article 67 (a) of the Constitution.Dhankhar, 74, who assumed office as vice president in 2022, was constitutionally set to serve a five-year term ending in 2027.
“To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as Vice President of India, effective immediately,” Dhankhar wrote in his resignation letter.
What happens next: Constitutional procedure
The election of the vice president is mainly governed by Articles 63 to 71 of the Constitution and the Vice-President (Election) Rules, 1974. The Vice-President holds the second-highest constitutional position in the country, after the President.With the post of vice president now vacant, the Election Commission will initiate the process to elect a new occupant for the office.The Constitution mandates that the vacancy must be filled “as soon as possible.”Under Article 66, the vice president is elected by an ‘electoral college’ consisting solely of members of both Houses of Parliament — Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha — via a ‘secret ballot’ and a proportional representation system using the single transferable vote.
Key eligibility criteria for a candidate –
- Must be a citizen of India.
- Eligible for election to the Rajya Sabha.
- Not hold any office of profit.
Vice president’s role
The vice president serves as the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha, responsible for maintaining order and procedure in the Rajya Sabha.However, the vice president is not a member of either house of the Parliament or of a legislature of any state. The vice president also steps in as ‘acting President’ in case the sitting President is unable to fulfill duties due to resignation, death, or removal, until a new President is elected.This sudden vacancy is likely to prompt swift political consultations across party lines, as the electoral college of 788 MPs (543 in Lok Sabha and 245 in Rajya Sabha) will soon be called upon to vote for a new vice resident. The Election Commission is expected to issue a formal notification and timeline shortly.