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Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation late on Monday night has resulted in an unusual mid-term vacancy in the nation’s second-highest constitutional office. He is only the third Vice-President in India’s history to resign prior to completing his term, following V.V. Giri and R. Venkataraman—both of whom resigned to run for presidential elections and were succeeded by Gopal Swarup Pathak and Shankar Dayal Sharma, respectively.
On Monday, Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar submitted his resignation from his position “to prioritize health care and adhere to medical advice.” The resignation takes effect immediately and was submitted in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution.
Jagdeep Dhankhar had been serving as the Vice President of India since 2022. Prior to this, he held the position of governor of West Bengal from 2019 to 2022.
The tenure of 74-year-old Jagdeep Dhankhar, who also serves as the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, was set to last until 2027. His resignation occurred on the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament.
The Vice President’s position will now remain vacant until the electoral college of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha selects a new candidate.
The Indian Constitution does not specify a deadline for filling a vacancy in the Vice President’s office. Until a new election is held, the position will remain unoccupied.
The only constitutional provision relevant to this situation pertains to the Vice-President’s role as the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). In such instances, the deputy chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, or another member designated by the President of India, will take on this responsibility during the vacancy.
(Newsroom staff only edited this story for style from a syndicated feed)
