Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar Resigns Citing Health Reasons, Ends Term Abruptly

New Delhi (India) July 22: India's Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar abruptly announced his resignation on Monday. He cites a desire to "prioritise healthcare." 

Quits after Monsoon Session starts

The 74-year-old has held the position since 2022. He made the announcement after his chairing of the Rajya Sabha’s first day of the Monsoon Session.

Interestingly, Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar had stated ten days before his resignation that he would "retire at the right time, August 2027." This means that he would serve out the remainder of his present term. 

However, he also added "subject to divine intervention." Dhankar said, "I will retire at the right time, August 2027, subject to divine intervention” in the statement.

Dhankar wrote, "To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution. I extend my deepest gratitude to Your Excellency, the Honourable President of India for her unwavering support and the soothing, wonderful working relationship we maintained during my tenure," in the letter to President Droupadi Murmu. He also posted the letter on social media platform X.

Article 67(a) of the Indian Constitution states that the Vice-President may step down before the end of his term. He can do so by presenting a written resignation to the President.

Deputy Chairman takes charge

Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh will look after the daily operations until a new Vice-President joins the office. In March of this year, Dhankhar was taken to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences due to chest pain and anxiety. He also passed out during a program at Nainital University last month after stepping down from the dais.

Jagdeep Dhankhar becomes the seventh vice president to leave before serving out his entire five-year tenure.

In 2022, Dhankhar had defeated Margaret Alva to become the Vice President of India. Alva was the nominee of the INDIA bloc. 

Known for clashes with opposition, judiciary

The lawyer-turned-politician was the governor of West Bengal before being appointed chairman of the Rajya Sabha. During his tenure as the governor of West Bengal, he had a number of differences with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Mr. Dhankhar has been the Vice-President for about three years. He was an MP, MLA, Union Minister, and Governor before becoming the Vice President.

During his term, he was regularly involved in heated arguments with the opposition. He also made critical statements about the judiciary's dedication to the separation of powers.

Aadrika Tayal