Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has officially resigned from his post, citing health reasons. His resignation was accepted on Tuesday after he submitted a letter to President Droupadi Murmu. Following the announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media to extend his wishes for Dhankhar’s speedy recovery and acknowledged his dedicated service to the nation.
Dhankhar’s resignation also vacates the post of Rajya Sabha Chairman, as the Vice President is the ex-officio chairperson of the Upper House. Until a new vice president is elected, Deputy Chairperson Harivansh will preside over the Rajya Sabha sessions during the ongoing Monsoon Session.
Third VP to Resign Mid-Term
Dhankhar becomes the third Vice President in India’s history to resign before completing his term. Earlier, V.V. Giri (1969) and R. Venkataraman (1987) had stepped down to contest presidential elections. Dhankhar, aged 74, assumed the Vice President’s office in August 2022 and was earlier the Governor of West Bengal.
On Monday, a day before his resignation was accepted, Dhankhar was actively engaged in the Rajya Sabha proceedings. He addressed opposition members, promoted dialogue in Parliament, and also accepted the motion notice of impeachment against Justice Yashwant Varma.
Acknowledges PM, Parliament, and Judiciary
In his resignation letter, Dhankhar thanked doctors and cited their advice as the reason for stepping down under Article 67(a) of the Constitution. He expressed deep gratitude to the President, PM Modi, Cabinet colleagues, and members of Parliament for their cooperation and warmth.
Known for his firm stance on judicial transparency and farmer issues, Dhankhar wrote that it was a privilege to serve India during a transformative phase. He expressed pride in witnessing the country’s global rise and reaffirmed his belief in its bright future.
