The Vice President of India is the second-highest constitutional office in the country. The VP serves a dual role: ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and the person who steps into the President’s shoes when necessary. Jagdeep Dhankhar has been serving as the 14th Vice President since August 2022. UPSC tests this position regularly — election process, Electoral College, acting President role, removal, and comparison with the US Vice President are all fair game.
Constitutional Provisions: Articles 63-73
The Vice President's office is governed by Articles 63 to 73 of the Constitution.
Article 63: There shall be a Vice President of India. Article 64: Vice President shall be ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Article 65: VP acts as President when President's office is vacant or when President is unable to discharge functions. Article 66: Election of VP. Article 67: Term of office. Article 68: Time of election to fill vacancy. Article 69: Oath of office. Article 70: Discharge of President's functions in contingencies not provided for. Article 71: Matters relating to VP election (non-justiciable in courts except Supreme Court).
Qualifications for Vice President
Under Article 66(3), a person is eligible for election as Vice President if they:
- Are a citizen of India
- Have completed the age of 35 years
- Are qualified for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha
- Must not hold any office of profit under the Government of India, any state government, or any local authority (exceptions: President, Vice President, Governor, Minister of the Union or state)
The qualification to be a Rajya Sabha member means the person must not be a bankrupt, of unsound mind, or disqualified under any law made by Parliament. There's no requirement of educational qualification or experience.
Key distinction: The President must be qualified to be a Lok Sabha member. The VP must be qualified to be a Rajya Sabha member. Both require being a citizen above 35, but the house they qualify for differs.
Election of Vice President: The Electoral College
Who Elects the VP?
This is one of the most distinctive features of the VP election — and a frequent UPSC Prelims trap.
The Vice President is elected by an Electoral College consisting of:
- Members of the Lok Sabha
- Members of the Rajya Sabha
That's it. No elected members of state legislative assemblies. No elected members of state legislative councils.
Compare with the President: The President's Electoral College includes elected members of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, AND state legislative assemblies (not nominated members, not council members). The VP's Electoral College is smaller and simpler — only Parliament members, and all of them (both elected and nominated).
Wait — nominated members? Yes. Nominated members of Parliament participate in the VP election but not in the President's election. Another UPSC favourite.
Method of Election
The VP is elected by a secret ballot through the system of proportional representation with single transferable vote (STV).
Each elector has one vote. They rank candidates in preference order (1, 2, 3…). If no candidate gets 50%+ first-preference votes, the candidate with fewest votes is eliminated and their votes are redistributed to second preferences. This continues until one candidate achieves a majority.
The election is held in accordance with the Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections Act, 1952.
Who Supervises the Election?
The Election Commission of India supervises the VP election under Article 71, but the actual notification and conduct is governed by the Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections Act.
Disputes regarding VP elections are decided by the Supreme Court of India (not the High Courts). This is provided under Article 71(1). And the Supreme Court’s decision is final.
Term of Office and Removal
Term
The VP holds office for a term of 5 years from the date of entering office under Article 67(a). But the VP can:
- Resign by writing to the President (Article 67(b))
- Be removed by a resolution of the Rajya Sabha passed by an effective majority (majority of total membership) and agreed to by the Lok Sabha (simple majority)
Removal Process
Article 67(b): VP can be removed by a resolution of the Rajya Sabha passed by a majority of all then members of the Rajya Sabha and agreed to by the Lok Sabha.
Note: No grounds for removal are specified — unlike impeachment of the President (which requires proven "violation of the Constitution"). The VP can be removed by majority vote without any specific charge being required. This makes the VP's tenure less secure than the President's.
14 days' notice must be given before moving such a resolution.
Re-election
There's no bar on re-election. A VP can serve any number of terms. S. Radhakrishnan served two terms (1952-1962) before becoming President.
Role as Chairman of Rajya Sabha
Presiding Functions
As the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the VP:
- Presides over Rajya Sabha sessions
- Maintains order in the House
- Decides questions of procedure
- Puts questions to vote
- Casts a casting vote in case of a tie
- Certifies Money Bills (along with Speaker for Lok Sabha)
The VP doesn't have an original vote in Rajya Sabha proceedings — only a casting vote in case of ties. This is different from regular Rajya Sabha members who vote on all questions.
Administrative Functions
- Appoints Rajya Sabha committees and their chairpersons
- Decides questions of disqualification of Rajya Sabha members (under the Tenth Schedule — anti-defection law), in consultation with the Election Commission
Key Distinction: VP as Chairman vs Speaker
| Feature | Vice President (RS Chairman) | Speaker (Lok Sabha) |
|---|---|---|
| Election | By both Houses of Parliament | By Lok Sabha members only |
| Removal | By Rajya Sabha majority + Lok Sabha agreement | By Lok Sabha effective majority |
| Money Bill certification | Not involved (RS can't originate Money Bills) | Speaker certifies Money Bills |
| Status during joint sitting | Presided by Speaker | Speaker chairs joint sitting |
| Salary paid from | Consolidated Fund of India (as RS Chairman) | Consolidated Fund of India |
When the VP is acting as President, they cease to perform Rajya Sabha Chairman duties. The Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha takes over.
The Acting President Role
When Does VP Become Acting President?
Article 65 provides that the VP acts as President when:
- The President's office becomes vacant due to death, resignation, or removal
- The President is unable to discharge functions due to absence, illness, or any other cause
Duration: When acting as President, the VP exercises all powers and functions of the President. But they don't receive the President's full salary — they receive the Rajya Sabha Chairman's salary unless acting for an extended period.
Key constraint: When acting as President, the VP stops functioning as Rajya Sabha Chairman. They can't simultaneously chair the Rajya Sabha and act as President.
Historical Instances
V.V. Giri (1969): Resigned as VP to contest the Presidential election after Zakir Husain's death. CJI M. Hidayatullah served as Acting President — because Giri had resigned and no VP was in office.
B.D. Jatti (1977): Acted as President after Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed's death until N. Sanjiva Reddy was elected President.
VP as Part of Constitutional Machinery: Comparison with US VP
| Feature | Indian VP | US VP |
|---|---|---|
| Election | By Parliament members | By Electoral College (indirect popular vote) |
| Role in Legislature | Ex-officio Rajya Sabha Chairman | President of the Senate |
| Casting vote | Yes (in RS tie) | Yes (in Senate tie) |
| Presidential succession | Acts as President when President is incapacitated | Becomes President if President dies/is removed |
| Political profile | Usually lower profile | Significant political figure; often Presidential candidate |
| Fixed term | 5 years | 4 years |
In India, the VP's role is more ceremonial than in the US. The US VP is a critical political operative; the Indian VP's influence depends heavily on individual personality and political context.
List of All Vice Presidents of India
| No. | Name | Tenure | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | S. Radhakrishnan | 1952–1962 | Philosopher; later became President |
| 2 | Zakir Husain | 1962–1967 | Later became President |
| 3 | V.V. Giri | 1967–1969 | Resigned to contest Presidential election |
| 4 | G.S. Pathak | 1969–1974 | — |
| 5 | B.D. Jatti | 1974–1979 | Acted as President in 1977 |
| 6 | M. Hidayatullah | 1979–1984 | Had earlier served as Acting President as CJI |
| 7 | R. Venkataraman | 1984–1987 | Later became President |
| 8 | Shankar Dayal Sharma | 1987–1992 | Later became President |
| 9 | K.R. Narayanan | 1992–1997 | Later became President |
| 10 | Krishan Kant | 1997–2002 | Died in office |
| 11 | Bhairon Singh Shekhawat | 2002–2007 | — |
| 12 | Hamid Ansari | 2007–2017 | Two terms; notable for Rajya Sabha reforms |
| 13 | M. Venkaiah Naidu | 2017–2022 | Active Rajya Sabha chairman |
| 14 | Jagdeep Dhankhar | 2022–Present | Controversial rulings in Rajya Sabha; impeachment motion tabled (2023) |
Pattern to note: VP to President trajectory — S. Radhakrishnan, Zakir Husain, V.V. Giri, R. Venkataraman, Shankar Dayal Sharma, K.R. Narayanan all became President after being VP. The VP office is often a stepping stone.
Recent Controversy: Impeachment Motion Against Dhankhar (2023)
In December 2023, the Opposition (INDIA bloc) moved an impeachment motion against VP Jagdeep Dhankhar in the Rajya Sabha — only the second such attempt in Indian history. The allegations included partisan conduct as Rajya Sabha Chairman, repeatedly intervening in Rajya Sabha proceedings in favour of the ruling party, and denigrating the judiciary.
The motion required 50 Rajya Sabha members to sign. The Opposition secured signatures but the motion was ultimately rejected by the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman on procedural grounds.
This episode highlighted the political vulnerability of the VP's position — removal requires only a Rajya Sabha majority, unlike the President's impeachment which requires a two-thirds special majority of each House.
FAQ: Vice President of India
1. Who elects the Vice President of India? Members of both Houses of Parliament — Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha — including nominated members. State legislative assembly members don't participate in the VP election.
2. What is the Vice President's main function? The VP has two key functions: serving as ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and acting as President when the President's office is vacant or the President is unable to discharge duties.
3. Can the Vice President be re-elected? Yes. There's no bar on re-election. S. Radhakrishnan served two consecutive terms (1952-1962) as VP before becoming President.
4. What is the difference between VP election and President election Electoral Colleges? Presidential Electoral College: Elected members of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and state legislative assemblies (not nominated MPs, not council members). VP Electoral College: All members of both Houses of Parliament — elected AND nominated (but not state legislators).
5. How can the Vice President be removed? By a resolution of the Rajya Sabha passed by effective majority (majority of all its members) and agreed to by the Lok Sabha (simple majority). Unlike the President's impeachment, no specific charges are required and no special majority is needed.
Related: Chief Justice of India: Role, Appointment and Powers Related: Separation of Powers in India: Legislature, Executive, Judiciary Related: Fundamental Rights — Articles 14-32 Complete Guide
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