Surprise Resignation on First Day of Monsoon Session
The Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, resigned from his office on Monday evening. He submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu after chairing the first day of the monsoon session in the Rajya Sabha. In the resignation letter, he stated that he was resigning due to health reasons.
With Dhankhar's resignation, Deputy Chairman Harivansh, who is the leader of JDU, will now preside over Rajya Sabha proceedings. Dhankhar took office on August 11, 2022, and was slated to continue until August 2027. However, he preferred to resign after two years and 344 days. Attention now falls on replacing the 74-year-old Vice President with someone. Plans are underway about the possibility of Harivansh's promotion.
Statement in Resignation Letter
Dhankhar said, "In accordance with doctors' advice, I am resigning under Article 67(a) of the Constitution. I thank the President for support and a smooth working relationship. I thank the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers for continued support. I gained valuable experience during my tenure. The respect accorded to me by members of Parliament will be remembered. I take pride in seeing India's economic growth.". With great respect and appreciation, I resign."
Even though he was healthy on Monday night, his resignation that night shocked many.
Participation in Judiciary Discussions
Dhankhar underwent treatment for a heart condition at AIIMS Delhi in March. Later, he resumed office and presided over Parliament's budget sessions. He took part in various conferences and meetings throughout India, and had open opinions on judicial behavior.
On Monday at 4:08 PM, he spoke to the notice of impeachment against Justice Yashwant Verma in the Rajya Sabha. He also referred to a previous letter on the impeachment of Allahabad High Court's Justice Shekhar Yadav. Some feel that he was uneasy making motions on either side by the government and the opposition. Having read both proposals, he walked out of the House — that was all he said before resigning that night.
Opposition Party Criticism
The opposition parties have been critical of Dhankhar's handling of the House since the start. A motion of no-confidence had been tabled against him, the first one against a sitting Vice President. Motion was rejected by Deputy Chairman Harivansh.
Earlier, as Governor of West Bengal, Dhankhar often clashed with the Mamata Banerjee government, which helped build his national profile. A lawyer by profession, Dhankhar’s comments on judicial behavior often sparked public debate.
Only the Third Vice President to Resign Before Term End
Jagdeep Dhankhar is the third Vice President of independent India to have resigned short of his full term. V.V. Giri had resigned earlier to contest for the President, while Bhairon Singh Shekhawat had resigned one month short of the end of his term after he lost a presidential election.
Other Vice Presidents such as R. Venkatraman, Shankar Dayal Sharma, and K.R. Narayanan also resigned, but after they became President. Vice President Krishan Kant died in office.
Congress Reaction to Resignation
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh described the resignation as unexpected. He hinted there could be other reasons behind the resignation other than health issues. According to him, he met Dhankhar at 5 PM, communicated with him again at 7:30 PM, and heard the news of resignation immediately after that. He encouraged the Prime Minister to request Dhankhar to withdraw his resignation.
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