Vice President of India: Mid-Term Resignation Citing Health Reasons

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned mid-term, citing health reasons, submitting his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu under Article 67(a). He is the third Vice President in India’s history to resign before completing his term, after V.V. Giri and R. Venkataraman.

Why Cover This Topic for UPSC?

• Relevant for  GS Paper II (Indian Polity & Constitution)
• Important for Prelims Polity – constitutional posts & provisions
• Covers Articles 63–70, especially Article 67(a)
• Links current developments with static Polity – a UPSC trend

The Vice President of India holds the second-highest constitutional position after the President and plays a dual role in India’s parliamentary system. This post comes with two main responsibilities — being the deputy to the President and serving as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

The office is inspired by the American Vice Presidency and holds the second position in the Order of Precedence.

Article 63 of the Indian Constitution provides that there shall be a Vice-President of India.  To contest for the office of Vice President, a person must:

• Be a citizen of India
• Be at least 35 years of age
• Be qualified for election as a Rajya Sabha member
• Not hold any office of profit under the Government of India or any state
• Must not be a member of either House of Parliament or a state legislature at the time of taking office

Election Provisions & Process

• The Vice President is elected by an Electoral College comprising members of both Houses of Parliament (elected and nominated). State legislative assemblies do not participate in this election.
• Voting is held through proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
• Voting is conducted by secret ballot.
• A Returning Officer (usually the Secretary General of Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha) oversees the election.

Oath of Office – Article 69

Before entering office, the Vice President takes an oath to:

• Uphold the Constitution of India
• Faithfully discharge the duties of the office
• The oath is administered by the President or a person appointed by the President.

Term and Resignation

• Term Duration (Article 67): The Vice President holds office for five years, but continues until a successor takes charge.
• Resignation (Article 67(a)): Can resign anytime by writing to the President of India.

Vacancy & Re-election 

A vacancy can arise due to:

• Expiry of term
• Resignation
• Removal
• Death or disqualification

In case of a vacancy, a new election must be conducted as soon as possible.

Removal Procedure

• The Vice President of India can be removed from office through a special procedure that ensures due parliamentary process, as laid down by the Constitution.
• A resolution for removal must first be passed in the Rajya Sabha with an effective majority (i.e., more than 50% of the total effective strength, excluding vacancies).
• It must then be agreed to by the Lok Sabha with a simple majority. 
• Before moving the resolution, at least 14 days' advance notice must be given, clearly stating the intention to remove the Vice President.

Note: There is no impeachment process for the Vice President (unlike the President), and no specific grounds for removal are mentioned in the Constitution.

Also read: State Finance Commission (SFC): Role, Challenges, and Importance | UPSC Current Affairs

Now that we know how the Vice President is elected, let’s look at the key roles and responsibilities of the office.

The Vice President plays a dual role — one under the Constitution and the other within the Parliament. These responsibilities make the office significant for both executive stability and legislative functioning. 

1. Ex-Officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (Article 64)

The Vice President is the presiding officer of the Upper House of Parliament. Here’s what this role includes:

• Presiding Over Sessions: The Chairman conducts daily sessions, maintains order, and ensures discipline and decorum in the House.
• Disciplinary Powers: Under Rule 256 of the Rajya Sabha Rules of Procedure, the Chairman can suspend a member for the remaining session for disorderly conduct or disrespect to the Chair.
• Interpreting Rules & Procedures: The Chairman has the authority to interpret procedural rules and make rulings on points of order raised during discussions.
• Maintaining Neutrality and Order: As a non-member, the Chairman is expected to remain impartial and allow equal opportunity for all members to speak. He ensures fair debates and adherence to parliamentary practices.
• Casting Vote in Case of Tie (Article 100): The Chairman does not vote normally, but can exercise a casting vote in case of a tie, ensuring decisions are not deadlocked.
• Referral to Committees: The Chairman also has an administrative responsibility of referring bills, motions, and resolutions to relevant parliamentary committees for detailed discussion and examination.

2. Acts as President in Absence (Article 65)

Performs the functions of the President of India during:

• Vacancy in the presidential office
• Absence, resignation, removal, or death of the President
• Can discharge these duties for a maximum of six months until a new President is elected.

3. Other Institutional Roles of Vice President 

• Chancellor of the University of Delhi & Panjab University, Chandigarh
• Visitor of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication
• President of the Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA)

Also read: Centre-State Relations for UPSC: Federalism, Conflicts & Cooperation

In a rare instance, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar recently resigned mid-term, citing health reasons. Let’s understand the resignation procedure from a constitutional point of view. 

The Vice President of India can resign from office at any time by submitting a written resignation to the President of India, as per Article 67(a) of the Constitution. Once submitted, the resignation takes effect immediately.

• A gap in Leadership: Since the Vice President also functions as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the resignation creates a temporary gap in the parliamentary leadership.
• No Acting Vice President: The Constitution does not provide for an acting Vice President. In the interim, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha takes over the responsibility of presiding over the House.

Fresh Election to Fill the Vacancy

When the Vice President’s office becomes vacant — whether due to resignation, death, removal, or otherwise — a fresh election must be conducted.

• In case of term expiry, the election must be held within 60 days of the end of the term.
• However, in case of a mid-term resignation, the Constitution states that the election should be held "as soon as possible" — without a fixed deadline.

Conduct of Election

• The Election Commission of India is responsible for holding the elections.
• It is conducted under the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952.
• The Secretary General of either House of Parliament is appointed as the Returning Officer, on a rotational basis.

Tenure of the New Vice President

The newly elected Vice President serves a full five-year term, regardless of how much time was left in the previous Vice President’s tenure.

The Vice President’s role is crucial in India’s constitutional setup. The recent resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar offers a relevant and timely example to understand the constitutional provisions (Articles 63–71), making this topic highly significant for both Prelims and Mains GS Paper II in UPSC.

Also cover: List of All Important Constitutional Amendments in India

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