Vice President of India

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Vice President of India: a simple guide

Role
- The Vice President is the deputy head of state after the President. The Vice President is the ex officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha (the upper house) and is first in the line of succession to the President.

Election and term
- Elected indirectly by an electoral college made up of members of both houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha).
- Uses proportional representation with single transferable votes and secret ballot, conducted by the Election Commission of India.
- A candidate must have nominations from MPs, a security deposit, and the election must be held within 60 days of the previous term ending.
- The term is five years and can be renewed. The Vice President may resign or be removed; extraordinary vacancies are handled by the Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha acting as needed.

Qualifications
- Must be eligible to be elected to the Rajya Sabha (the Vice President is not required to be a current member of Parliament, but must meet Rajya Sabha eligibility).

Powers and duties
- Acts as Vice President and as Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. The two roles cannot be held at the same time.
- When needed, can act as the President of India; in that case, they receive the President’s pay and privileges for that period.
- Serves as Chancellor of Panjab University, University of Delhi, and Pondicherry University, and as Visitor of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication. Also holds leadership roles in some administrative bodies.

Salary and benefits
- As ex officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, receives a salary (currently about ₹4 lakh per month) plus various allowances and benefits, including a residence and medical care.
- Pension is about 50% of the salary after retirement.

Oath and conduct
- The oath of office is a sworn or affirmed commitment to bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India, as prescribed in Article 69 of the Constitution.

Removal and disputes
- The Rajya Sabha can pass a removal resolution with an effective majority, and the Lok Sabha must agree with a simple majority, after at least 14 days’ notice.
- The Constitution does not list specific grounds for removal; disputes about the Vice Presidency’s election can be decided by the Supreme Court under Article 71.
- The Supreme Court can handle related disputes, and its decisions are final.

Succession and vacancy
- If the President dies, resigns, or is otherwise unable to serve, the Vice President can become Acting President. If the President’s office becomes vacant, a new President must be elected within a certain period.

Historical notes
- The office was formed on 13 May 1950. The first Vice President was Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. The Vice President’s official residence is in New Delhi, and the position is a key constitutional role in India’s government.