New Delhi: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his post on Monday citing health reasons. His resignation is effective immediately and has been given in accordance with Article 67 (A) of the Constitution.
Dhankhar announced his resignation amid the monsoon session of Parliament. Rajya Sabha Chairman Dhankhar briefly presided over the proceedings of the House after the Parliament session began on Monday and quietly left the House.
74-year-old Jagdeep Dhankhar was sworn in as the Vice President of India on 11 August 2022 and his term was till 2027. Dhankhar was admitted to AIIMS-Delhi in March this year after suffering from heart-related ailments and was treated for four days. Where he underwent angioplasty.
In a letter addressed to President Draupadi Murmu, Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed his deep gratitude to the Prime Minister and Members of Parliament for their support during his tenure. Dhankhar said in the letter, “In order to prioritize health care and follow medical advice, I resign from the post of Vice President of India with immediate effect, under Article 67 (A) of the Constitution. I express my heartfelt gratitude to the President of India for her unwavering support and the pleasant and wonderful working relationship we have had during my tenure.” Dhankhar said that while leaving this prestigious post, he is proud of India’s global rise and unprecedented achievements and has unwavering faith in its bright future. He further said, “I express my deep gratitude to the Prime Minister and his Council of Ministers. The cooperation and support of the Prime Minister has been invaluable and I have learned a lot from him during my tenure.” Thanking the members of Parliament, Jagdeep Dhankhar said, “The warmth, trust and affection I have received from all the members of Parliament will always remain in my memory.” During his important tenure as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar clashed with the opposition several times. The opposition had also moved a motion to impeach him. The proposal to remove him, which was the first attempt to remove a sitting Vice President in independent India, was, however, rejected by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh.
Second Vice President to resign while in office
Jagdeep Dhankhar is the second Vice President to resign while in office. Earlier, VV Giri had resigned from his post on July 20, 1969 to contest the presidential election as an independent candidate.
‘It is a true honour for me to serve in a transformative era’
Dhankhar’s letter read, “I am deeply grateful for the invaluable experience and knowledge I have gained as Vice President in our great democracy. It has been a privilege and satisfaction for me to witness and participate in India’s remarkable economic progress and unprecedented development during this important period. It has been a true honour for me to serve in this transformative era of our country’s history.” On the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said, “I wish him good health. I am sad because I have a very good relationship with him. I have known him for 30-40 years. We were with each other. We have stood against each other in many matters. We have a unique relationship. I have always respected him, and he has also respected me.” Sibal said, “I hope he stays healthy and lives long, and I wish him good health. We may have differences in our political views or opinions, but on a personal level, we had a very strong relationship. Whenever I needed time to speak in the House, I would meet him personally in his chamber, and he never refused me, and gave me a little more time than the time given to independent MPs.”
