Vice President Power and Function, Qualifications in India

Article 63 : There shall be a Vice-President of India. He occupies the second highest office in the country. The manner of election for Vice-President and President is same.

List of Vice Presidents in India

  • Electoral college of Vice-President consists of elected and nominated members of both the Houses of Parliament.
  • All disputes regarding election of Vice-President is adjudicated by the Supreme Court.

Qualification [Article 66(3)]

  • Should be a citizen of India.
  • Should have completed 35 years of age.
  • Should be qualified for election as a Member of Rajya Sabha.

Oath

Under Article 69, the oath of office of the Vice-President is administrated by the President or some person appointed in that behalf of him.

Condition of Office

  • Should not be a member of either House of the Parliament or State Legislature.
  • Should not hold any office of profit.

Term of Office under Article 67

  • Can resign from his office at any time by addressing the resignation letter to the president.
  • Holds office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office.
  • Can be removed by a resolution of the Rajya Sabha passed by an absolute majority and agreed by the Lok Sabha. [Article 67(b)].
  • Can be elected for any number of terms.

Vacancy in Office

Vacancy in the vice president’s office can occur in any of the following ways.

  • On the expiry of his tenure,  by his resignation, on his removal,  by his death.
  • When the vacancy is going to be caused by the expiration of the term of the sitting Vice President,  an election to fill the vacancy must be held before the expiry of the term.
  • If the office falls vacant by resignation,  removal, death or otherwise, then election to fill the vacancy should be held as soon as possible after the occurrence of the vacancy.
  • The newly elected vice president remains in office for a full term of 5 years from the date he assumes charge of his office.
  • Emoluments – He draws his salary in his capacity as the ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha. His present salary is 125000 rupees per month.

Powers and Functions of Vice-President

  • He act as the ex-officio chairman of Rajya Sabha. In this capacity is power and functions are similar to those of the speaker of Lok Sabha.
  • He acts as a president when a vacancy occurs in the office of the President due to his resignation,  removal, death or otherwise. He can act as president only for a maximum period of 6 months.
  • While acting as president or discharging the functions of President,  the vice president does not perform the duties of the office of Chairman of Rajya Sabha, those duty are performed by the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
  • aIf the offices of both the president and the vice president falls vacant by reason of death, resignation, removal etc the Chief Justice of India or in his absence, the senior most judge of the supreme court acts as president.  For the first time in 1969, when the President Dr Zakir Hussain died and the Vice President Shri V V Giri resigned, the Chief Justice M Hidayatullah acted as president.

Important Facts about Vice President

  • Krishna Kant was the first Vice President to die in office.
  • When two presidents,  Doctor Zakir Hussain and Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed,  died in office, then respective Vice President, VV Giri and BD Jatti acted as President.
  • The vice-president Dr S Radhakrishnan discharge the function of the president in June 1960 and the president Dr Rajendra Prasad was on a 15 day tour to the USSR and again in July 1961 when the Dr Rajendra Prasad was very ill.

List of Vice-President of India

Name Tenure Notes
Dr S Radhakrishnan 1952 to 1962 1st Vice-President, had the longest tenure (10 years, elected twice)
Dr. Zakir Hussain 1962 to 1967
VV Giri 1967 to 1969 Shortest tenure so far(2 years)
GS Pathak 1969 to 1974
BD Jatti 1974 to 1979
Justice M Hidayatullah 1979 to 1984
R Venakataraman 1984 to 1987
Dr SD Sharma 1987 to 1992
KR Narayan 1992 to 1997
Krishan Kant 1997 to 2002 Died in office
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat 2002 to 2007
Mohammad Hamid Hansari 2007 to 2017 2nd Vice-President, had the longest tenure (10 years, elected twice)
Venkaiah Naidu 2017 to till date

First Cabinet Ministers of India after Independence

United States of America General Knowledge – USA Static GK

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