India is set to elect a new Vice President by the end of August 2025 after the unexpected resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar, which was officially accepted by President Droupadi Murmu. The Election Commission is expected to announce the election schedule within the next 2 to 3 days
Election process begins
Dhankhar’s resignation came nearly two years before his term was due to end. While he cited health reasons in his resignation, political developments over the past week appear to have played a key role. The Home Ministry has formally informed the Election Commission, which has now begun preparations for the election.
As per Article 68(2) of the Constitution, there’s no fixed deadline for the Vice Presidential election after a resignation, but it must be held “as soon as possible.” Once the Election Commission issues the official notification, the entire process—including filing of nominations, scrutiny, withdrawal of names, voting, and counting -- must be completed within 32 days, according to the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952.
Nomination papers need to be submitted within 14 days of the election notification. Sources say that if everything moves on schedule, the new Vice President will be in office by the last week of August.
Although the resignation has been publicly linked to health issues, it came immediately after a tense political week in Delhi. Sources say the real reason might lie in a controversial move made by Dhankhar in his role as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
On Monday, Dhankhar accepted a motion brought by opposition MPs seeking the removal of High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma. The judge is currently under investigation after large amounts of cash were found at his residence.
Interestingly, the Union government had been planning to file its own motion against Justice Varma in the Lok Sabha. They had already gathered signatures from opposition MPs and wanted to take charge of the process to control the narrative. Dhankhar’s decision to accept the Rajya Sabha motion first appears to have caught the government off guard.
According to insiders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was immediately briefed, and a late-night meeting was held with senior cabinet ministers. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and Home Minister Amit Shah later met BJP MPs in small groups. They reportedly called Dhankhar’s move a “breach of decorum” and asked MPs to support a counter-motion.
The very next day, after being informed of the government’s plan to respond, Dhankhar submitted his resignation.
Jagdeep Dhankhar’s surprise resignation has not only created a vacancy at the top but also sparked speculation over political pressure and internal disagreements. While the official reason remains health-related, the sequence of events suggests deeper tensions.
With the Election Commission now gearing up for a Vice Presidential poll, India is likely to have a new Vice President in place by the end of August. The coming days will also reveal how political parties position themselves during the election process and whether Dhankhar’s exit leaves a lasting impact on the power dynamics in Parliament.
