President Droupadi Murmu has officially accepted the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar as Vice President of India, as reaffirmed on Tuesday's proceedings in the Rajya Sabha.
The resignation, submitted under Article 67(a) of the Constitution, has been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and an official notification would soon be issued.
Chairing the Rajya Sabha session, BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari briefed the House that the resignation of Dhankhar had been communicated by the Home Ministry and would be effective forthwith.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier wished Dhankhar good health after he resigned. In a post on X, the Prime Minister said: "Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji has had numerous opportunities to contribute to our nation in a number of roles, ranging from the Vice President of India. Good health wishes."
The resignation has evoked controversy among opposition leaders, who questioned the timing of Dhankhar's resignation, which was on July 21 — the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Jagdeep Dhankhar, who became India's 14th Vice President in August 2022, gave health grounds as the reason for his resignation. His leadership, however short-lived, was characterized by decisive action as ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, for which he was renown for his firm control over procedure and rule-based method of conducting legislative business.
Dhankhar has been hospitalised multiple times in the last year, including a recent Nainital stay, though details of his medical condition have not been released.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had declared Dhankhar as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)'s Vice Presidential nominee on July 16, 2022. He proceeded to win an overwhelming victory over the opposition nominee Margaret Alva in the contest held on August 6, 2022, taking 528 out of 710 valid votes — a resounding 74.37% — the widest margin of victory for the office since 1992.
During his time, Dhankhar gained a reputation as a seasoned politician and a keen constitutionalist. Though respected for his objectivity and firm understanding of parliamentary norms, his no-holds-barred demeanor frequently elicited praise and criticism from all corners of the political divide.
With Dhankhar's resignation, the constitutional process is already underway for electing the next Vice President of India. As the Vice President also serves as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, experts point out that the role cannot be vacant for very long and that a new election will soon be planned.
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