- Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned as Vice President of India citing health concerns, effective immediately
- Dhankhar served as the 14th Vice President from August 2022 and chaired Rajya Sabha sessions
- The Vice President is elected by members of both Houses of Parliament, excluding state legislatures
Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned as Vice President of India on Monday, citing health concerns and the need to "prioritise health care". The 74-year-old stepped down with immediate effect after presiding over the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
In a letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, Mr Dhankhar wrote, "To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution." The Vice President's Office released the letter shortly after the announcement.
Mr Dhankhar served as the 14th Vice President of India starting August 2022. There is no official word yet on who may succeed Mr Dhankhar, but attention now has turned to how India will elect his successor.
Who Votes For The Vice President?
Unlike the President of India, who is elected by members of Parliament as well as state legislatures, the Vice President is chosen only by members of both Houses of Parliament: the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. This includes both elected and nominated members.
Members of state legislative assemblies play no role in this election.
Eligibility
To contest the Vice Presidential election, a candidate must:
- Be a citizen of India.
- Be at least 35 years old.
- Be qualified for election to the Rajya Sabha.
- Not hold any office of profit under the central or state government
These conditions are laid down in Articles 66 and 67 of the Indian Constitution.
How The Vice President Is Elected
The election is conducted under the supervision of the Election Commission, which appoints a Returning Officer, typically a senior parliamentary official, to oversee the process.
A prospective candidate must secure at least 20 proposers and 20 seconders from among MPs to file a valid nomination. A security deposit of Rs 15,000 is also required.
The election is conducted by secret ballot, using the single transferable vote (STV) system of proportional representation. Each MP ranks the candidates in order of preference (1, 2, 3, etc).
A candidate must secure a majority quota (more than half the total valid votes) to win. If no candidate achieves this on first preferences, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes transferred based on next preferences. This continues until one candidate crosses the threshold.
The Election Commission is required to conduct a new election as soon as possible, ideally within 60 days of the vacancy.
Who Chairs Rajya Sabha Now?
The Vice President is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. In the absence of a Vice President, the Deputy Chairman presides over the proceedings.
Currently, Harivansh Narayan Singh, a Janata Dal (United) MP, who has served as Deputy Chairman since 2020, will oversee the functioning of the Rajya Sabha during the Monsoon Session and until a new Vice President is sworn in.
