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Jagdeep Dhankhar resigns: What's next after the Vice-President steps down mid-term?

India.com

3 minutes ago

Politics
India.com

Jagdeep Dhankhar resigns: What's next after the Vice-President steps down mid-term?

Jagdeep Dhankhar resigns: What's next after the Vice-President steps down mid-term? India's Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, has stepped down from his post, leaving the second-highest constitutional seat in the country vacant. He also held the position of Rajya Sabha Chairman, which is now empty too. In a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar said he is resigning for health reasons. He mentioned that he wants to focus on his well-being and take care of his health. Now that both important roles, Vice President of India and Rajya Sabha Chairman, are vacant, the government will have to begin the process of finding a new person to fill these positions. Who will take over the Vice President's post? The Vice President's position will remain empty until a new person is elected by the members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, who together form the electoral college. The seat will stay vacant until a fresh election is held. However, the Indian Constitution does not set a fixed deadline for when this election must take place if the Vice President's post becomes vacant. Would the Deputy Rajya Sabha Chairman step in? With the resignation letter, Dhankar has also resigned from his post as Rajya Sabha Chairman. Until a new Vice President is elected, the constitution allows the deputy chairman to fill in and serve as the interim chair. It is expected that Harivansh Narayan Singh from Janata Dal (united) would be presiding over the House in Dhankar's absence. When will the election for VP be held? The elections for the Vice President of India normally take place 'no later than 60 days' from the expiry of the term of outgoing leader, but in a case like this, where there is a resignation, there is no such existing deadline. With no deadline being fixed by the constitution, it is required to be held 'as soon as possible.' The schedule for the elections will be announced by the Election Commission of India, and will be conducted under the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952. Once the schedule is announced, the voting will be conducted in the capital, through a secret ballot. Every MP in the house casts a vote by ranking candidates in the order they prefer. The candidate that gets the highest first-preference votes is selected as the Vice President. Once elected, the candidate will serve a full five-year term and stay in the office till 2030, and not just the remainder of Dhankar's tenure. Who is eligible for the post? According to the constitution, the candidate must be a citizen of India, and be at least 35 years old. The candidate must also be eligible for a seat in the Rajya Sabha, and must not hold any office of profit. Jagdeep Dhankar was elected as the Vice President of India in 2022 where reports state he secured 74.37 per cent of the votes, the highest poll-victory margin since the 1992 election. From 2019 to 2022, Dhankar served as the Governor of West Bengal. His current tenure was set to end in 2027.

India's vice president steps down, citing health reasons – DW – 07/22/2025

32 minutes ago

Health
DW

India's vice president steps down, citing health reasons – DW – 07/22/2025

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modia has wished Jagdeep Dhankhar "good health" following the vice president's resignation. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Jagdeep Dhankhar "good health" in a social media post on Tuesday, following the vice president's decision to step down on "medical advice." On Monday, Vice President Dhankhar resigned from his post, citing health concerns. "Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji has got many opportunities to serve our country in various capacities, including as the vice president of India," Modi wrote on social media site X. "Wishing him good health." Dhankhar has held the position of Indian vice president since August 2022. While the role is normally for five years, the 74-year-old said his health had to come first. "To prioritize health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately," Dhankhar said in a letter to country's President Droupadi Murmu, posted on X. "I extend my deepest gratitude to Your Excellency — the Hon'ble President of India for her unwavering support." "I express my deep gratitude to the Hon'ble Prime Minister and the esteemed Council of Ministers. Prime Minister's cooperation and support have been invaluable, and I have learned much during my time in office." The vice president of India primarily serves a ceremonial and parliamentary role, holding the second highest constitutional office, as well as being chair of the upper house of parliament. The vice president also steps into the as the role of president, who is head of state, if there is a temporary vacancy. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Jagdeep Dhankhar always defended farmers, was enthusiastic about judicial reforms

The Hindu

33 minutes ago

Politics
The Hindu

Jagdeep Dhankhar always defended farmers, was enthusiastic about judicial reforms

Unlike his predecessors, Jagdeep Dhankhar, in his three years as Vice-President of India, courted controversies for the statements he made inside and outside Parliament. While he took a different stand from the government on farmers' protests, he was vehement about corruption in the judiciary. He gave philosophical warnings to the government in a veiled manner against being audacious with people, but was more vocal than many of the Ministers on issues such as Sanatana Dharma and insertion of the words secularism and socialism in the Constitution. One of his first speeches as Vice-President on judicial accountability was made in December 2022 at the 8th Dr. L.M. Singhvi Memorial Lecture on 'Universal Adult Franchise: Translating India's Political Transformation Into A Social Transformation'. Citing a Supreme Court verdict that repealed the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), Mr. Dhankhar, in the presence of then Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, said: 'Please find out a parallel in the world where a Constitutional provision can be undone. Our Indian Constitution provides in explicit terms Art 145 (3). Interpretation of the Constitution when a substantial question of law is involved can be done by the court. Nowhere does it say that a provision can be run down,' he said, adding, 'I am startled that after this verdict, there was no whispering in the Parliament. It was taken as such. This is too serious an issue'. LIVE: Vice-President Dhankhar resigns Later, when the Opposition criticised him for such a speech, Mr. Dhankhar said in Rajya Sabha that Parliament is eminently positioned to take affirmative steps to bring out congeniality amongst wings of governance. 'Delegitimising the Judiciary is beyond my contemplation. It is a pillar of democracy. I would urge and expect leaders across the political spectrum to bear in mind not to subject high Constitutional offices to partisan stances,' the Chairman of Rajya Sabha said. Jagdeep Dhankhar resigns as Vice-President: why is it unprecedented? On another occasion, he proposed a revisit to the K. Veeraswami Judgement — the 1991 Supreme Court judgement that dealt with the issue whether the Prevention of Corruption Act is applicable to higher court judges. Terming the 1991 judgement a 'judicial legerdemain', Mr. Dhankhar said the genesis of the problem of corruption in the judiciary is the K. Veeraswami case judgement. 'Time for us now to change. And I have full trust and confidence in the present Supreme Court, which is of eminent people, people of integrity. In a short time, the present Chief Justice has shown that things are soothing for people at large,' Mr. Dhankhar said, citing the example ofthe Supreme Court's actions on the issue of recovering cash from a Delhi High Court judge's official residence. Mr. Dhankhar reminded the MPs that the Constitution has given privileges to MPs, but this privilege is not unqualified. 'This privilege comes with very heavy responsibility and that responsibility is that every word spoken in the parliament must be after due thought, after due consideration. It can't be based on unverified situations. House cannot be made a wrestling ground of free fall of information,' Mr. Dhankhar had said. Warning against arrogance in public life Very recently, addressing the inaugural programme for the eighth batch of participants of the Rajya Sabha Internship Programme (RSIP), Mr. Dhakhar warned against arrogance in public life. 'We must be resilient. We must believe in our point of view. But we must also have respect for the other point of view. If we believe in our point of view and think, 'I am the only one who is right, and everyone else is wrong' — that is not democracy. That is not our culture. That is ego. That is arrogance. We must control our ego. We must control our arrogance. We must try to understand why the other person holds a different point of view — that is our culture. What has India historically been known for? Discourse, dialogue, debate, deliberation. These days, we do not see all this happening in Parliament,' he said. Championing farmers' rights Since December 2024, he has made several speeches in defence of the rights of farmers. At a function in Mumbai, in the presence of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he urged the Centre to talk to farmers who were protesting at the borders of Punjab and Haryana. 'Agriculture Minister Sir, every moment is critical for you. I urge you, and as the person holding the second-highest constitutional position in India, I request you to please tell me, was any promise made to the farmer, and why has it not been fulfilled? What are we doing to fulfil the promise? There was an agitation last year, and there is one this year as well, and time is passing, but we are doing nothing,' he said. Mr. Dhankhar had asked Mr. Chouhan to consider the dialogue with the farmers as a challenge, which should not be considered any less than the unity of India. 'We cannot fight with our own people; we cannot put them in this situation where they are left to fight on their own. We cannot hold the ideology that their struggle will be limited, and they will eventually tire out. We should not disturb the soul of India; we should not hurt its heart. Can we create a boundary between the farmer and the government? Those whom we need to embrace cannot be pushed away,' Mr. Dhankhar said. On the demand for statutory Minimum Support Price (MSP), the Vice President said he fails to understand why a formula cannot be worked out in consultation with economists and think tanks that will reward the farmers. 'Whatever price we give to the farmer, the nation will benefit five times over; there is no doubt about it. I have heard people say inflation will rise. I will say one simple thing. Wheat makes bread, and the disparity is immense! Milk makes ice cream, and again, the disparity is immense. Who are those people who say that if we give our farmers a fair price for their produce, I do not understand why that would cause a disaster,' he said. Sanatana debate The Vice President had also joined the debate on Sanatana, which was started by DMK leader Udayanidhi Stalin. The Vice President said we are one of the oldest civilisations. 'Ironically and painfully, in this country, reference to sanatan, reference to Hindu, evokes baffling reaction beyond comprehension rather than understanding the depth of these words, their deep meaning, people tend to be in reaction mode, at a drop of a hat... Can ignorance be more in extremity? Can the enormity of their lapse be countenanced? These are souls that have misguided themselves, driven by a dangerous ecosystem that is a threat not only to the society but to themselves,' he said.

What is Article 67(a) of the Indian Constitution invoked by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar?

The Hindu

an hour ago

Politics
The Hindu

What is Article 67(a) of the Indian Constitution invoked by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar?

On July 21, 2025, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his post by submitting a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, in which he stated that the resignation was being tendered in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution of India. His letter cited personal health concerns as the reason for stepping down. The Ministry of Home Affairs added his resignation letter to the Gazatte the next day, thus making it official. Also Read: Congress says 'far deeper reasons' behind Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation The Vice-President of India holds office for a term of five years from the date of entering office, as outlined in Article 67 of the Constitution. However, the office can be vacated earlier through resignation, removal, or death. Article 67(a) allows explicitly for resignation: ''The Vice-President may, by writing under his hand addressed to the President, resign his office.' 'Constitution of India, Article 67(a) Mr. Dhankhar, who is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, resigned hours after he presided over the first sitting of the Rajya Sabha as chairperson during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which began on July 21. Mr. Dhankhar, 74, assumed office in August 2022 and his tenure was till 2027. Also Read: Parliament Monsoon Session Day 2 updates What does Article 67(a) state? Article 67 of the Constitution outlines the conditions under which the Vice-President can resign from office. Clause (a) refers to voluntary resignation by the Vice-President through a written letter addressed to the President of India. This provision does not require parliamentary approval and takes effect immediately upon receipt by the President. What happens after the resignation? Following a resignation under Article 67(a), the office of the Vice-President becomes vacant. The Rajya Sabha, where the Vice-President serves as ex-officio Chairman, is temporarily presided over by the Deputy Chairman. The Election Commission of India is responsible for initiating the election process to fill the vacancy, following procedures laid out in the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952. Resignation under Article 67(a) is a straightforward process with no legal or parliamentary barriers. Once the President accepts the resignation, the process is deemed complete. Vice-President Dhankhar is among the few holders of the office to have resigned before completing the five-year term. The constitutional process for electing a new Vice-President is now expected to follow.

President Murmu accepts resignation of VP Jagdeep Dhankhar as confirmed by Ministry of Home Affairs

Time of India