JAGDEEP DHANKHAR SINCE -11AUG 2022 -PRESENT

The office of the Vice President of India is modeled on the American Vice President. The post of Vice President in India is the second highest post in the country. Article 63 of the Indian Constitution mentions the office of the Vice President

Provisions relating to the Vice President:

■Vice President:

The Vice President  is the second highest constitutional office in India. He serves for a term of five years, but may continue in office notwithstanding the expiration of the term until a successor has assumed office.

The Vice President may resign from the office by tendering his resignation to the President of India, which becomes effective from the day the resignation is accepted.

The Vice-President can be removed from office by a resolution of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) passed by a majority of the members present at that time, with the consent of the Lok Sabha. A motion to this effect can be moved only after giving at least 14 days’ notice for the purpose.

The Vice President is the ex-officio Chairman of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and does not hold any other office of profit.

Who can be the Vice President of India?

An Indian citizen can qualify for the post of Vice President if he is 35 years of age or more. Another qualification for a candidate to contest the Vice-Presidential election is to be eligible to be elected as a member of the Rajya Sabha.

● ● ●The Vice President of India cannot hold the office of profit. The qualifications for this post are similar to those of the President.

■Electoral College:

According to Article 66 of the Constitution of India, the Vice President is elected by the members of the Electoral College.

■ Electoral College :

Elected member of Rajya Sabha.

Nominated member of Rajya Sabha.

Elected members of the Lok Sabha.

■ What is the election process?

According to Article 68 of the Constitution of India, the election to fill the vacancy caused by the abolition of office must be completed before the term of office of the outgoing Vice President expires.

The superintendence, direction and control of the conduct of elections to the office of Vice-President is vested in the Election Commission of India under Article 324 of the Constitution read with the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952 and the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Election Rules, 1974.

The notification for the election shall be issued sixty days before or after the expiry of the term of the outgoing Vice President.

Since all the members of the Electoral College are members of both the Houses of the Parliament, the value of the vote of each Member of Parliament shall be the same i.e. 1 (one).

The Election Commission, in consultation with the Central Government, appoints the Secretaries General of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha as Returning Officers on a rotational basis.

Accordingly the Secretary General, Lok Sabha shall be appointed as the Returning Officer for the present election to the office of the Vice President of India.

The Commission has also decided to appoint an Assistant Returning Officer in the Parliament House (Lok Sabha) to assist the Returning Officer.

•As per Rule 8 of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Election Rules, 1974, the polling for the election shall take place in the Parliament House.

■ What is the tenure of the Vice President?

The Vice President holds office for five years from the date he enters upon his office. However, he can resign even before five years by submitting his resignation to the President. Other ways of creating a vacancy in the post of Vice President are given below:

1.when he completes his five year term

2.when he resigns

3.when it is removed

4.on his death

5.when his election is declared void

■Powers and functions of the Vice President

▪︎The functions of the Vice President are of two types:

He acts as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. In this capacity, his powers and functions are similar to those of the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. In this respect, he is similar to the US Vice President, who also serves as the President of the Senate – the upper house of the US legislature.

He acts as the President when the office of the President becomes vacant due to his resignation, removal, death or any other reason. He can act as President only for a maximum of six months, within which a new President has to be elected. Further, when the incumbent President is unable to discharge his functions due to absence, illness or any other reason, the Vice President discharges his functions until the President resumes his office.

The election of a person as Vice-President cannot be challenged on the ground that the Electoral College was incomplete (that is, the existence of a vacancy among the members of the Electoral College).

If the election of a person as Vice-President is declared void by the Supreme Court, the acts done by him before the date of such declaration of the Supreme Court are not invalidated (i.e., they remain in force).

■Note:

While acting as President or discharging the functions of the President, the Vice President does not perform the duties of the office of the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. During this period those duties are performed by the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

■Is the Vice President also impeached as the President of India?

No, unlike the President of India who can be formally impeached; There is no formal impeachment for the Vice President. Rajya Sabha can pass a resolution with majority and Lok Sabha can pass it. Furthermore, unlike the President of India, who can be impeached on the grounds of ‘violation of the Constitution’, the Constitution does not specify any grounds for the removal of the Vice President of India.

Note: The Supreme Court decides electoral disputes relating to the office of the Vice President.

भारत के उपराष्ट्रपति का पद अमेरिकी उपराष्ट्रपति की तर्ज पर बनाया गया है। भारत में उपराष्ट्रपति का पद देश का दूसरा सबसे बड़ा पद है। भारतीय संविधान के अनुच्छेद 63 में उपराष्ट्रपति के पद का उल्लेख है

उपराष्ट्रपति से संबंधित प्रावधान:
उपराष्ट्रपति:
उपराष्ट्रपति भारत का दूसरा सर्वोच्च संवैधानिक कार्यालय है। वह पांँच वर्ष के कार्यकाल के लिये कार्य करता है, लेकिन वह कार्यकाल की समाप्ति के बावजूद तब तक पद पर बना रह सकता है जब तक कि उत्तराधिकारी द्वारा पद ग्रहण नहीं कर लिया जाता है।
उपराष्ट्रपति भारत के राष्ट्रपति को अपना त्यागपत्र देकर पद से त्यागपत्र दे सकता है जो इस्तीफा स्वीकृत होने के दिन से प्रभावी हो जाता है।
उपराष्ट्रपति को राज्य परिषद (राज्यसभा) के एक प्रस्ताव द्वारा पद से हटाया जा सकता है, जो उस समय उपस्थित सदस्यों के बहुमत से पारित होता है, साथ ही लोकसभा द्वारा सहमति आवश्यक होती है। इस प्रयोजन के लिये कम-से-कम 14 दिनों का नोटिस दिये जाने के बाद ही इस आशय का कोई प्रस्ताव पेश किया जा सकता है।
उपराष्ट्रपति राज्यों की परिषद (राज्यसभा) का पदेन अध्यक्ष होता है और उसके पास कोई अन्य लाभ का पद नहीं होता है।

■भारत का उपराष्ट्रपति कौन हो सकता है?
कोई भारतीय नागरिक उपराष्ट्रपति पद के लिए अर्हता प्राप्त कर सकता है यदि उसकी आयु 35 वर्ष या उससे अधिक है। उपराष्ट्रपति चुनाव लड़ने के लिए उम्मीदवार की एक अन्य योग्यता राज्यसभा सदस्य के रूप में निर्वाचित होने के लिए योग्य होना है।

●●●भारत के उपराष्ट्रपति द्वारा लाभ का पद धारण नहीं किया जा सकता है। इस पद की योग्यताएं राष्ट्रपति योग्यता के समान ही हैं।

■निर्वाचन मंडल:
भारत के संविधान के अनुच्छेद 66 के अनुसार, उपराष्ट्रपति का चुनाव निर्वाचन मंडल के सदस्यों द्वारा किया जाता है।