News highlight
Former West Bengal Governor, Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was elected as the 14th Vice-President of India.
Key news takeaways
- He secured 528 votes, opposition pick, Margaret Alva, who got 182 votes, lost.
The Vice-President
- The office of the 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.
- Election to the Office of the Vice-President of India (Article 66):
- Eligibility:
- Should be a citizen of India.
- Should have completed 35 years of age.
- Should be qualified for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
- Should not hold any office of profit under the Union government or any state government, any local authority or any other public authority.
- Electoral College consists of:
- Elected members of the Rajya Sabha.
- Nominated Members of the Rajya Sabha.
- Elected members of the Lok Sabha
- The Office of the Vice-President Article 63:
- 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.
- The Constitution is silent on who performs the duties of the Vice-President when a vacancy occurs in the office of the Vice-President of India before the expiry of his term or when the Vice-President acts as the President of India.
- The only provision in the Constitution is with regard to the Vice-President’s function as the Chairperson of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), which is performed, during the period of such vacancy, by the Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha or any other member of the Rajya Sabha authorised by the President of India.
- He may resign his office by submitting his resignation to the President of India.
- He can be removed from office by a resolution of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), passed by a majority of its members at that time and agreed to by the House of the People (Lok Sabha).
- A resolution for this purpose may be moved only after a notice of at least a minimum of 14 days has been given of such an intention.
- The ex-officio of the Rajya Sabha Article 64:
- The Vice-President is the ex-officio Chairperson of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha ) and does not hold any other office of profit.
- During any period when the Vice-President acts as, or discharges the functions of the President, he does not perform the duties of the office of the Chairperson of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and he is not entitled to any salary or allowances payable to the Chairperson, Rajya Sabha.
- The Vice-President as Acting President, Article 65.
- He acts as President during a casual vacancy in the office of the President because of death, resignation, removal, or otherwise until a new President is elected as soon as practicable.
- When the President cannot discharge his functions owing to absence, illness or any other cause, the Vice-President discharges those functions till the President resumes office.
Pic Courtesy: The Hindu
Content Source: The Hindu