After Jagdeep Dhankhar’s Sudden Resignation, What’s Next for the Vice President’s Post: 10 Key Points

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his post on Monday evening, citing medical reasons, in a move that has triggered widespread speculation across political circles. In a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar said he was stepping down with immediate effect to “prioritise health care,” as advised by his doctors.

The resignation came just after the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament, where Dhankhar, as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, was expected to preside over key sessions, including a Business Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday.

“To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution,” Dhankhar wrote.

Key Developments:

• Medical Concerns: The 74-year-old had undergone angioplasty at AIIMS Delhi in March and had appeared frail in recent public events, though he remained active in his parliamentary duties.

• Unprecedented Tenure: Dhankhar’s time in office, which began in August 2022, was marked by sharp confrontations with the Opposition and a rare impeachment motion—dismissed by Deputy Chairman Harivansh—the first such attempt in independent India.

• No Successor Yet Named: The government has not announced a successor. While the Constitution is silent on who performs overall Vice Presidential duties during a vacancy, it provides that the Deputy Chairperson or another Rajya Sabha member may preside over House functions.

• Election Mechanism: Under Article 66, the Vice President is elected by an Electoral College comprising both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members via proportional representation with a single transferable vote.

• Likely Candidates: The BJP-led NDA, which has a clear majority in Parliament, is expected to deliberate soon on Dhankhar’s successor. Among the frontrunners is Deputy Chairman Harivansh, a JD(U) MP seen as close to the government.

• Eligibility Criteria: Candidates must be Indian citizens, at least 35 years old, and qualified for Rajya Sabha membership. They must not hold any office of profit under the Union or state governments.

• Political Reaction: While BJP sources have indicated that the next nominee is likely to be “a non-controversial, consensus figure,” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh called the resignation “shocking and inexplicable,” hinting at possible undisclosed reasons.

• Historical Precedent: Dhankhar becomes the third Vice President in India’s history to resign before completing a term, following V. V. Giri in 1969 and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in 2007—both of whom stepped down to contest presidential elections.

The sudden resignation adds a layer of unpredictability to the current political climate, especially with Parliament in session and a new Vice President yet to be elected.