Why in news?
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from office in July 2025, nearly two years before the end of his five‑year term, citing health reasons. He submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu as required under the Constitution.
Constitutional provisions
- Article 63: Establishes the office of the Vice President of India.
- Article 67(a): Allows the Vice President to resign by writing to the President. The resignation takes effect immediately upon delivery.
- Article 64: Provides that the Vice President is the ex‑officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
- Article 65: Specifies that the Vice President acts as President when the office of President is vacant or the President is unable to perform duties.
- Article 68: Deals with filling vacancies and states that there is no fixed deadline to elect a new Vice President, unlike the six‑month limit for the presidential office.
Process and timeline after a vacancy
- The election is governed by the Presidential and Vice‑Presidential Elections Act 1952 and the Election Rules 1974.
- The Election Commission issues a notification inviting nominations. Candidates have 14 days to file papers, each backed by at least 20 proposers and 20 seconders from the electoral college (MPs).
- After scrutiny of nominations and a brief withdrawal period, polling is held by secret ballot using the single transferable vote system.
- The minimum period from notification to polling is about 32 days, making it challenging to complete the election during a Parliament session.
Historical instances of resignation
- V.V. Giri (1969): Resigned to contest the Presidential election.
- Bhairon Singh Shekhawat (2007): Stepped down after losing the Presidential race.
- Jagdeep Dhankhar (2025): Resigned citing health concerns after chairing the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Term and re‑election
- The Vice President’s term is five years, but he or she may resign at any time or continue in office until a successor assumes charge.
- The Constitution places no limit on the number of terms a person may serve as Vice President.
The Vice President holds a key constitutional role, acting as a bridge between the legislature and the executive. A sudden vacancy requires timely action to maintain parliamentary decorum and constitutional continuity.