Vice President

Vice President

This article deals with ‘Vice President of India .’ This is part of our series on ‘Polity’ which is important pillar of GS-2 syllabus . For more articles , you can click here

Introduction

  • Modeled on American Vice President (although some differences are there).
  • Rank = Second highest officer after President

Election process of Vice President

  • Indirect election by specially constituted electoral college by System of Proportional Representation by Means of Single Vote Transferable
  • **Electoral college consist of all the members of both Houses of Parliament**

Qualification to become Vice President

  • Should hold office for 5 years (that of Raj Sabha  member is 6 years)  from time of entering office(vacancy may be by any cause)
  • Can resign any time by addressing resignation letter to President
  • Can be re-elected any number of times
  • Removal doesn’t require impeachment. Can be removed by resolution passed with Absolute Majority of Rajya Sabha & approved by Lok Sabha( no one removed till date)

Election Dispute

  • All doubts can be inquired and decided by Supreme court only whose decision is final
  • Can’t be challenged on ground that Electoral College was incomplete
  • If election declared void, acts done by him before that are not invalidated

Powers & Functions

As ex officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha

  • Act as Speaker of Rajya Sabha and has all powers similar to speaker of Lok Sabha.
  • Resemble to Vice president of USA in this respect.

Act as President when office falls vacant

  • But can act as President maximum for 6 months & new President must be elected within that period. In USA, if office of President falls vacant, Vice President remains President for remaining tenure of office
  • No significant function in his capacity & called ‘Superfluous Highness

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