President Murmu accepts Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation

New Delhi: President Droupadi Murmu accepted the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar from the post of Vice President of India on Tuesday.

The letter has been forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and soon an official notification will be issued.

This was announced during the Rajya Sabha proceedings, when BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari, who was in the Chair, said that Dhankhar’s resignation as the Vice President has been accepted.

Tiwari also said that the Ministry of Home Affairs has “conveyed resignation of Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar under Article 67A of the Constitution with immediate effect”.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended good wishes to Dhankhar. The PM wrote on X, “Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar Ji has got many opportunities to serve our country in various capacities, including as the Vice President of India. Wishing him good health.”

The PM’s post came at a time when the opposition has been raising questions about Dhankhar’s sudden resignation.

Dhankhar, who served as the 14th Vice President of India since August 2022, stepped down on July 21 — the very first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament — citing health concerns.

On July 16, 2022, the BJP announced Dhankhar as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for Vice President. In the Vice Presidential election held on August 6, 2022, Dhankhar defeated opposition candidate Margaret Alva with 528 out of 710 valid votes, securing 74.37 per cent — the highest margin of victory since 1992.

As Vice President, Dhankhar also served as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, where he presided over several key legislative sessions. Known for his strict adherence to parliamentary rules and no-nonsense approach, he was both respected and contested in equal measure across party lines.

Jagdeep Dhankhar, a seasoned politician and constitutional expert, was seen by many as a firm yet fair presiding officer of the Rajya Sabha.

He had been hospitalised multiple times over the past year for health concerns, most recently in Nainital. The exact nature of his illness has not been disclosed.

In his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar cited health concerns. He invoked Article 67(a) of the Indian Constitution, which provides for the resignation of the Vice President.

Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation has triggered the constitutional process to elect a new Vice President of India, say experts. Since the Vice President also serves as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the post cannot remain vacant for long, according to the experts.

–IANS