Jagdeep Dhankhar, the Vice-President of India, has resigned. The news came as a shock to both the ruling party and the Opposition. He said he’s stepping down due to health issues. President Droupadi Murmu has accepted his resignation.
But is there more to the story? Some leaders think so. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted on X (formerly Twitter) that something serious happened between 1 and 4 pm on the day Dhankhar quit.
With Parliament already seeing heated debates in the Monsoon Session, this resignation has added fuel to the political fire.
No Acting Vice-President in the Constitution
Here’s the thing: our Constitution does not have any provision for an acting Vice-President. But the Vice-President is also the Chairman of Rajya Sabha. Until a new VP is elected, the Deputy Chairman — Harivansh Narayan Singh — will run the show in Rajya Sabha.
When Will the New Election Happen?
Unlike the President’s post, where the law says the vacancy must be filled within six months, there is no such deadline for the Vice-President. The law just says the election must be held “as soon as possible.”
The Election Commission will decide the date. Normally, the Secretary General of either Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha is chosen as the Returning Officer. The process follows the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952.
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Who Can Run for Vice-President?
To run for this top post, a person must:
- Be a citizen of India
- Be at least 35 years old
- Be qualified to be a Rajya Sabha member
- Be registered as a voter in any parliamentary seat
- Not hold any office of profit (except if they are a minister, Governor, or President)
How Will the VP Be Elected?
The election is held in Parliament. All members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including nominated ones, vote.
It’s a secret ballot. MPs rank the candidates in order of preference. A system called single transferable vote is used.
If no one wins in the first round, the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is dropped. Their votes are given to the second preference marked by MPs. This goes on till someone gets a clear majority.
How Long Will the New VP Serve?
The new Vice-President will serve a full five-year term starting from the day they take charge. It doesn’t matter how long Dhankhar’s term was left — the new VP gets a fresh full term.
Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden move has left a power gap. While his reasons may be personal, the timing has raised many eyebrows. As India waits for the Election Commission to announce the date, the race to pick a new Vice-President has quietly begun.
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