Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday resigned from his post, citing medical reasons.
In his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar said that he is stepping down with immediate effect to "prioritise health care".
"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," he said in the letter to the President.
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Dhankhar, who is also the Rajya Sabha Chairman, resigned on the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament. The 74-year-old assumed office in August 2022 and his tenure was till August 2027.
How soon will the next vice president be elected?
With Dhankhar quitting as the vice president, the election to appoint his successor will have to be held "as soon as possible".
According to Clause 2 of Article 68 of the Constitution, an election to fill a vacancy in the office of the vice president occurring due to his death, resignation or removal, or otherwise will be held "as soon as possible" after it becomes vacant.
{{/usCountry}}According to Clause 2 of Article 68 of the Constitution, an election to fill a vacancy in the office of the vice president occurring due to his death, resignation or removal, or otherwise will be held "as soon as possible" after it becomes vacant.
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“An election to fill a vacancy in the office of Vice-President occurring by reason of his death, resignation or removal, or otherwise shall be held as soon as possible after the occurrence of the vacancy, and the person elected to fill the vacancy shall, subject to the provisions of article 67, be entitled to hold office for the full term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office,” the Clause 2 of Article 68 of the Constitution says.
The vice president is the second-highest constitutional office in the country. He serves for a five-year term, but can continue to be in office, irrespective of the expiry of the term, until the successor assumes office.
How is a vice president elected?
According to Article 66 of the constitution, the vice president is elected by an Electoral College comprising members of both Houses of Parliament, through a system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
To be eligible, a candidate must be a citizen of India, at least 35 years old, and qualified for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha. “A person is not also eligible if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or a state government or any subordinate local authority,” the constitution says.