Election of Vice President

In News: Both the ruling party and opposition party have selected their Vice Presidential election candidate.

• The election is scheduled for August 6, 2022.

Vice President

• The Vice President is the second highest constitutional office in India.
• The Vice President is the ex-officio Chairperson of the Council of States/Rajya Sabha.

Electoral College:

• As per Article 66 of the Constitution of India, the Vice-President is elected by the members of the Electoral College.
• He is elected in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and the voting at such election shall be by secret ballot

Electoral College consists of:

• Elected and nominated members from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha only

Qualification for The Election Of The Vice-president

• He should be a citizen of India.
• He should be minimum 35 years of age.
• He should have qualified for the election as a member of the Rajya Sabha.
• He should not hold any office of profit under the Union government or any state government or any local authority or any other public authority.
• For the nomination for election to the office of Vice-President, a candidate must be subscribed by at least 20 electors from Members of Parliament as proposers and 20 electors as seconders.

Conditions of Office

• He should not be a member of either House of Parliament or a House of the state legislature.
• In the event that any such individual is chosen Vice-President, he is considered to have emptied his seat in that House on the date on which he enters upon his office as Vice-President.
• He shouldn’t hold any other office of profit.

Terms of Office

• The Vice President holds office for five years from the date of his inauguration.
• The Vice President can resign at any time by sending a letter of resignation to the President.
• He can hold office beyond his terms of five years until his successor takes office.
• He also has the right to be re-elected to this position for any number of terms.

Vacancy

A vacancy in the Vice-President’s office can occur in any of the following ways:

• When he completed the tenure of five years.
• When he resigned.
• When he was removed by parliament resolution.
• When he died while serving the office.
• When his election is declared void and become disqualified to hold office.

Power And Functions

• The vice-President acts as the ex-officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha and his powers and functions are similar to those of the speaker of the Lok Sabha.
• In the event of the president’s inability to work due to any reason or a vacancy in the office of the president due to any reason, he can act as the president. The office was created to maintain continuity in the Indian state; however, this is only for 6 months till the next president is elected.
• The Vice President while discharging duty as President should not preside over Rajya Sabha.

Removal of Vice-president

• A formal impeachment like in the case of the President of India is not required for the removal of Vice-President
• VP can be removed from his office by a resolution raised only in Rajya sabha, passed by effective majority & agreed upon by simple majority in Lok sabha.
• Prior to passing the resolution in Rajya sabha, a 14 days notice should be served to the Vice-President.

Source: Indian Express

Previous Year Question

Q.1) Consider the following statements: (2013)

1. The Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha are not the members of that House.
2. While the nominated members of the two Houses of the Parliament have no voting right in the presidential election, they have the right to vote in the election of the Vice President.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

Q.2) With reference to the election of the President of India, consider the following statements: (2018)

1. The value of the vote of each MLA varies from State to State.
2. The value of the vote of MPs of the Lok Sabha is more than the value of the vote of MPs of the Rajya Sabha.

Which of the statements given above is/are Correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 or 2