Vice-President of India

Vice-President of India

Why it Matters? 

  • Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned midway through his term, citing health reasons, marking an unexpected turn on the first day of the Monsoon Session. 

What You Should Know? 

  • The office of the Vice-President is modelled on the lines of the American Vice-President. 

  • Articles 63 to 71 of the Indian Constitution deal with the Vice-President. 

 Election: 

  • The electoral college consists of elected members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and nominated members of Rajya Sabha. 

 Powers and Functions of the Vice-President: 

  • The Vice-President acts as ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha and presides over its sessions. 

  • The Chairman votes only in case of a tie (casting vote); cannot vote otherwise. 

  • Under the Tenth Schedule, decides on disqualification of Rajya Sabha members due to defection. 

 Removal of the Vice-President 

  • A resolution must be passed by an effective majority of Rajya Sabha, and agreed to by a simple majority in Lok Sabha. 

  • A 14-day notice is required before moving the resolution. 

  • The Vice-President cannot preside over proceedings related to his removal. 

  • No resolution for removal of the Vice-President has ever been passed in Parliament. 

 Resignation: 

  • The Vice-President may resign his office by submitting his resignation to the President of India. 

  Note: 

  • The Constitution is silent on who performs the duties of the Vice-President, when a vacancy occurs in the office of the Vice-President of India, before the expiry of his term, or when the Vice-President acts as the President of India.  

  • The only provision in the Constitution is with regard to the Vice-President's function as the Chairperson of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), which is performed, during the period of such vacancy, by the Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, or any other member of the Rajya Sabha authorised by the President of India. 

  • Dr. S. Radhakrishnan was the first Vice-President of India. 

  • Past Vice-Presidents who became Presidents include S. Radhakrishnan, Zakir Hussain, V.V. Giri, R. Venkataraman, Shankar Dayal Sharma, and K.R. Narayanan. 

  • Hamid Ansari is the only Vice-President after Radhakrishnan to have served two terms (2007–2017).