Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar recently took a step that stirred up political circles. Without any prior notice or scheduled program, he suddenly arrived at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where he was to meet President Droupadi Murmu.
New Delhi: India's Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar, has created a stir in the political corridors across the country with his unexpected resignation. On Monday night at approximately 9 pm, he reached Rashtrapati Bhavan without any prior notice and submitted his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu. This sudden event caused a stir in the President's Secretariat, and several concerns related to the constitutional system began to arise.
Vice President Arrives Without Prior Notice
It is considered highly unusual for a person holding a constitutional position to arrive at Rashtrapati Bhavan without protocol in this manner. The President's Secretariat, which operates according to protocol and rules, has rarely faced such an unexpected situation in years. When Vice President Dhankhar arrived at Rashtrapati Bhavan around 9 pm, the security officers and the ADC (Aide-de-Camp) were not informed about it beforehand.
When this information reached the ADC, they immediately informed the Military Secretary. After this, an emergency meeting was hastily organized with President Droupadi Murmu.
Resignation Submitted to the President, Information Shared on X (Twitter)
After meeting with the President, Vice President Dhankhar submitted his resignation to her under Article 67 (b) of the Constitution. Immediately after the resignation, he made a public announcement of it on his X (formerly Twitter) handle at 9:25 pm. He wrote: Today, I have submitted my resignation from the post of Vice President of India to the Hon'ble President Droupadi Murmu. This decision has been taken by me after much deliberation and introspection.
On Tuesday morning, an official gazette notification was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, confirming the resignation of the Vice President. This notification was issued under the signature of Home Secretary Govind Mohan, which read: The resignation of the Vice President of India, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, is published for general information.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Also Arrived at Rashtrapati Bhavan
In another development on the same day, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh also met President Murmu. According to sources, Harivansh had presided over the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday morning and later paid a courtesy visit to the President. A picture of this meeting was shared by Rashtrapati Bhavan on its official X handle, in which a cordial conversation between the President and the Deputy Chairman can be seen.
Many kinds of speculations are being made in political circles regarding this sudden decision of the Vice President. On one hand, some experts are saying that this decision has been taken due to health or personal reasons, while some believe that it may be a sign of political disagreement or strategic change. However, so far no detailed statement has come out from the Vice President regarding the reasons for the resignation, which has deepened the mystery even further.
What is the Constitutional Procedure?
According to the Indian Constitution, the Vice President can resign from his post by submitting a written resignation to the President. After the resignation of the Vice President, a new election will be held if necessary. Until a new Vice President is elected, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh may perform the acting role.
Jagdeep Dhankhar was sworn in as the 14th Vice President of India on August 11, 2022. Prior to this, he has also served as the Governor of West Bengal and a senior advocate. During his tenure, he played an important role in maintaining the dignity of the House, ensuring that the opposition is heard, and in balancing the government.
