Contents
Articles Related to Vice-President at a Glance
The Vice-President occupies the second highest office in
the country. He is accorded a rank next to the President in the official
warrant of precedence.
Election:
He is elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of the members
of both Houses of Parliament. Thus, this Electoral College is different from
the electoral college for the election of the President in the following two
respects:
Ø It
consists of both elected and nominated members of the Parliament.
Ø It
does not include the members of the state legislative assemblies.
The Vice-President’s election, like that of the President’s
election, is held in accordance with the system of proportional representation
by means of the single transferable vote and the voting is by secret ballot.
Qualifications:
To be eligible for election as Vice-President, a person should fulfil the
following qualifications:
·
He should be a citizen of
India.
·
He should have completed
35 years of age.
·
He should be qualified for
election as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
·
He should not hold any
office of profit under the Union government or any state government or any
local authority or any other public authority.
The oath of office to the Vice-President is administered by the
President or some person appointed in that behalf by him.
The Vice-President holds office for a term of five years from the
date on which he enters upon his office. However, he can resign from his office
at any time by addressing the resignation letter to the President. He can also
be removed from the office before completion of his term. A formal impeachment
is not required for his removal. He can be removed by a resolution of the
RajyaSabha passed by an absolute majority. On the vacancy of the post of the
Vice-President, whether by death, resignation or otherwise, the Deputy Chairman
of the Rajya Sabha takes charge until a Vice-President is elected and takes
charge.
A vacancy in the Vice-President’s office can occur in any of the
following ways:
1.
On the expiry of his
tenure of five years.
2.
By his resignation.
3.
On his removal.
4.
By his death.
5.
Otherwise, for example,
when he becomes disqualified to hold office or when his election is declared
void.
All doubts and disputes in connection with election of the
Vice-President are inquired into and decided by the Supreme Court whose
decision is final.
The functions of Vice-President are twofold:
1.
He acts as the ex-officio
Chairman of Rajya Sabha. In this capacity, his powers and functions are similar
to those of the Speaker of LokSabha.
2.
He acts as 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 six months, within which a new President has to be elected. Further, when
the sitting President is unable to discharge his functions due to absence,
illness or any other cause, the Vice-President discharges his functions until
the President resumes his office. While acting as President or discharging the
functions of President, the Vice-President does not perform the duties of the
office of the chairman of Rajya Sabha. During this period, those duties are
performed by the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha.
If the offices of both the President and the Vice-President fall 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, during the 15-day visit of Dr. Rajendra Prasad to the Soviet Union
in June 1960, the then Vice President Dr. Radhakrishnan acted as the
President. For the first time, in 1969, when the President Dr. Zakir Hussain
died and the Vice-President V.V. Giri resigned, the chief Justice Md.
Hidayatullah. acted as president.
Articles
Related to Vice-President at a Glance
Article No. |
Subject-matter |
63 |
The Vice-President
of India |
64 |
The Vice-President
to be ex-officio Chairman of the Council of States |
65 |
The Vice-President
to act as President or to discharge his functions during casual vacancies in
the office, or during the absence, of President |
66 |
Election of
Vice-President |
67 |
Term of office of
Vice-President |
68 |
Time of holding
election to fill vacancy in the office of Vice-President and the term of
office of person elected to fill casual vacancy |
69 |
Oath or affirmation
by the Vice-President |
70 |
Discharge of
President’s functions in other contingencies |
71 |
Matters relating
to, or connected with, the election of Vice-President |