Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar stunned the political circles late on Monday night when he resigned from the Constitutional post, citing health reasons. His sudden resignation on the opening day of the ongoing Monsoon Session through a letter to the President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar invoked Article 67(a) of the Constitution, which allows a Vice President to step down by submitting a letter and become the third vice president to resign from the office before completing his term.
A former governor of West Bengal, an eminent lawyer, hailing from Rajasthan, Dhankar became the vice president in August 22 and his term was to last till 2027. Incidentally, Trinamool Congress leaders, with whom he had a running battle in the state, expressed shock over the decision and were sad that he would not be sitting in the Chairman’s chair in the Rajya Sabha. Till the evening when many members of parliament were in the parliament building, no one had any inkling of the decision, and it was like a jolt out of the blue. His resignation was with immediate effect.
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigns from his post "to prioritise health care and abide by medical advice." pic.twitter.com/gLU2R4Y4Mh
— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2025
At 74, Dhankhar expressed deep gratitude for the privilege of witnessing and contributing to India’s extraordinary economic growth and rapid development during this pivotal time. “It has been a true honour to serve in this transformative era of our nation’s history,” he wrote. Dhankhar took office as Vice President of India in August 2022. He was hospitalised at AIIMS-Delhi for four days in March this year due to cardiac-related health issues.
Born in 1951, Dhankhar was elected to the 9th Lok Sabha from Jhunjhunu Parliamentary Constituency in 1989. He also served as Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs in 1990. Later, he got elected to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly from Kishangarh Constituency in Ajmer district in 1993-1998.
Vice Presidents Who Resigned Before Their Term
- V. V. Giri resigned on July 20, 1969, to contest the Presidential election
- President R Venkataraman resigned as Vice President in July 1987 after being elected as the President
What Prompted The Resignation?
Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation has sparked speculation about his potential candidacy for the presidency whenever the position becomes vacant. However, the Election Commission must now conduct elections for the Vice President’s post within two months, as Dhankhar requested immediate relief from his duties. Meanwhile, Rashtrapati Bhavan remains occupied, with President Murmu serving until her term concludes in July 2027.
Now, this has triggered off a musical chairs of sorts with the political circles agog with speculations of who will become the new Vice President. Till six pm today, he was meeting opposition leaders of parliament, and three hours later, he resigned. On Wednesday, the Rajya Sabha will be chaired by Deputy Chairman until a new Vice President is elected. But formally, the President has to accept the resignation.
What’s Next?
A formal election to fill the Vice President position must be held within 60 days of the resignation. All members of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha will vote, using a proportional representation system with a single transferable vote.
As per the Constitution, in the event of a vacancy in the office of Vice President, the Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha will step in as the Acting Chairperson of the Upper House. Harivansh Narayan Singh, appointed in August 2022, will temporarily assume the role of Acting Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
