Vice President of India
The vice president of India (IAST: Bhārat kē Uparāṣṭrapati) is the deputy to the head of state of the Republic of India, i.e. the president of India. The office of vice president is the second-highest constitutional office after the president and ranks second in the order of precedence and first in the line of succession to the presidency. The vice president is also the ex officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
For a list of vice presidents, see List of vice presidents of India.Vice President of India
The Honourable (formal)
Mr. Vice President (informal)
His Excellency (in diplomatic correspondence)
Deputy head of state
VP
Five years
Renewable
Constitution of India (Article 63)
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1952–1962)
13 May 1952
Article 66 of the Constitution of India states the manner of election of the vice president. The vice president is elected indirectly by members of an electoral college consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament and not the members of state legislative assembly by the system of proportional representation using single transferable votes and the voting is conducted by Election Commission of India via secret ballot.[2] The vice president also acts as the chancellor of the Panjab University and Delhi University.[3]
Jagdeep Dhankhar of the Bharatiya Janata Party is the current vice president. He became vice president after defeating Indian National Congress candidate Margaret Alva in the 2022 Indian vice presidential election.[4]
Term[edit]
The vice president holds office for five years. The vice president can be re-elected any number of times. However, the office may be terminated earlier by death, resignation, or removal. The Constitution does not provide a mechanism of succession to the office of vice president in the event of an extraordinary vacancy, apart from re-election. However, the deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha can perform the vice president's duties as the chairman of the Rajya Sabha in such an event.
However, when the president dies in office and vice president takes over as president, the vice president can continue serving as the president for a maximum of 6 months within which a new president shall be elected.
Removal[edit]
The Constitution states that the vice president can be removed by a resolution of the Rajya Sabha passed by an effective majority (majority of all the then members) and agreed by the Lok Sabha with a simple majority (Article 67(b)).[6] But no such resolution may be moved unless at least 14 days notice in advance has been given. Notably, the Constitution does not list grounds for removal. No vice president has ever faced removal or the chairman in the Rajya Sabha cannot be challenged in any court of law per Article 122[12]
The Supreme Court can inquire into and decide on the disputes related to election of the vice president as per Article 71(1) of the constitution. However, the constitution does not mention any specific ground on which the vice president can be removed.
Salary and pension[edit]
There is no provision for the salary of the vice president of India in that capacity. The vice president receives a salary in the capacity of the ex officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha, which is currently ₹400,000 (US$4,800) per month (revised from ₹125,000 in 2018). In addition, the vice president is entitled to free furnished residence, medical, travel, and other facilities. The constitution provides that when the vice president acts as the president or discharges the duties of the president, the vice president is entitled to the salary and privileges of the president. The pension for the vice president is 50% of the salary.[13] In fact, he is the only official who does not get any salary and emoluments of his designated post (i.e. vice president).