Jagdeep Dhankhar steps down as Vice President of India citing health reasons

Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his post on Monday, July 21, citing health reasons. The 74-year-old submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, stating he was stepping down “to prioritise health care and abide by medical advice.” The resignation is effective immediately and was done under Article 67(a) of the Constitution. Dhankhar had been serving as the Vice President since 2022 and was also the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

In his resignation letter, Dhankhar expressed gratitude to the President, Prime Minister, and Members of Parliament for their support during his tenure. “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,” he wrote. He also stated, “I extend my deepest gratitude to Your Excellency – the Hon’ble President of India for her unwavering support and the soothing wonderful working relationship we maintained during my tenure.”

Earlier on Monday, Dhankhar chaired the opening session of the Monsoon Session in the Rajya Sabha, where he announced receiving a motion signed by over 50 members of the Council of States seeking the removal of Justice Yashwant Varma. He confirmed that it met the numerical requirement for initiating proceedings. As per the Judges (Inquiry) Act, when such motions are received in both Houses, a statutory committee is to be formed jointly by the Lok Sabha Speaker and Rajya Sabha Chairman.

Sources confirmed that Dhankhar held an unscheduled meeting with the President at Rashtrapati Bhavan hours before the resignation. There was no official communication on the nature of their discussion. Earlier this year, he had been hospitalised for a medical procedure. Despite that, he continued to attend official events and had recently announced a visit to Jaipur scheduled for July 23.

The Constitution does not specify who assumes the duties of the Vice President when the position falls vacant. However, in the Rajya Sabha, the Deputy Chairman or a member authorised by the President takes over the presiding role. Dhankhar previously served as the Governor of West Bengal from 2019 to 2022 and had a background in law and politics. His resignation concludes his tenure over two years before its scheduled end in August 2027.