President accepts VP Dhankhar's resignation; notification to be issued soon

President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who stepped down citing medical reasons. The resignation, submitted yesterday evening, was accepted and sent to the Home Ministry. A notification confirming the development will be issued shortly.

"To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution," Dhankhar wrote in his letter to the President.

Dhankhar, 74, who assumed office in August 2022, had more than two years left in his tenure. His resignation came on the opening day of the Monsoon session of Parliament, sparking speculation across political circles. He had recently undergone angioplasty at AIIMS Delhi and had been in and out of the hospital this year. Despite this, he was seen active at several public events and continued chairing proceedings in the Rajya Sabha until now.

In his letter, Dhankhar expressed gratitude to the President, the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers and Members of Parliament. “I extend my deepest gratitude to Your Excellency the Hon’ble President of India for her unwavering support and the soothing wonderful working relationship we maintained during my tenure,” he wrote.

“I express my deep gratitude to the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the esteemed Council of Ministers. Prime Minister’s cooperation and support have been invaluable, and I have learned much during my time in office.”

He added: “The warmth, trust, and affection I have received from all the Hon’ble Members of Parliament would ever be cherished at and embedded in my memory.”

Dhankhar said it had been a privilege to serve during a transformative period in India’s development. “It has been a privilege and satisfaction to witness and partake in India’s remarkable economic progress and unprecedented exponential development during this significant period. Serving in this transformative era of our nation’s history has been a true honour.”

His resignation makes him the third Vice President in independent India to resign before completing the term, after V V Giri and R Venkataraman-both of whom quit to contest the presidential election. Dhankhar's move, however, is attributed to health reasons.

The resignation has triggered a six-month constitutional timeline to elect a new Vice President. Until then, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh can preside over House proceedings.

The sudden nature of the decision has drawn reactions from across the political spectrum. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, “The sudden resignation of the Vice President and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is as shocking as it is inexplicable.” He noted that Dhankhar had fixed a Business Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday and was to make “major announcements related to the judiciary.”

CPI MP P Sandosh Kumar said, “We don’t know what the reasons are.” Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey said the timing-on the day Parliament reconvened-“raises eyebrows.”

Kapil Sibal, Rajya Sabha MP and former Union minister, said Dhankhar’s resignation should be accepted and “we should move on.”

During his tenure, Dhankhar frequently clashed with the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha and was at the centre of a failed impeachment motion-an unprecedented attempt in Indian parliamentary history. A BJP nominee, Dhankhar was elected in 2022 as the NDA candidate and served as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

Earlier this month, Dhankhar had said at an event that he would retire “at the right time, August 2027, subject to divine intervention.”