Vice-President Election After Dhankhar's Resignation: ECI Starts Preparation, Announcement Soon
Vice-President Election: Jagdeep Dhankar, 74, resigned from his post citing health reasons in a letter to President Droupadi Murmu
Two days after Jagdeep Dhankhar's unexpected resignation from the post of Vice-President, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said on Wednesday it has begun preparations to fill the vacancy and will announce the election schedule soon after the 'completion of the preparatory activities".
The 74-year-old resigned from his post citing health reasons in a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, also shared by the Vice-President's official X account late on Monday.
While there is no fixed deadline to fill the vacancy in India's second-highest constitutional office, the law mandates that the election should be held at the earliest.
In its statement, the poll body said that the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday notified the resignation of Dhankhar and the ECI, under Article 324, is mandated to conduct the election.
'The election to the office of the Vice President of India is governed by The Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952 and the rules made thereunder… Accordingly, the Election Commission of India has already started the preparations relating to the Vice-Presidential Elections, 2025," the poll body said.
On completion of the preparatory activities, it added, the announcement of the election schedule 'will follow as soon as possible".
Key preparatory activities already underway include drafting the electoral college list (comprising elected and nominated members of both Houses), appointing returning officers, and compiling background material on previous elections.
Unlike the presidential election, where state assemblies take part, the vice-president is elected by the members from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including nominated members.
pic.twitter.com/n4nsDOxLGb — Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) July 21, 2025
Dhankhar was elected as the 14th vice-president in August 2022 and his term had two more years. Dhankhar is the third vice-president in the country's history who resigned before completing the term. VV Giri and R. Venkataraman left the post mid-term as they had to contest presidential elections.
In December 2024, a motion of impeachment was proposed by 54 opposition MPs against Dhankhar but it was not accepted.
In his resignation letter, Dhankhar said he has to prioritise health care. 'To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution," the resignation letter reads.
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July 23, 2025, 13:42 IST
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