Vice President of India

Key functions and responsibilities

The Vice President has a combination of ceremonial, constitutional and parliamentary duties. As the chair of the Rajya Sabha the Vice President oversees proceedings of the upper house, maintaining order and ensuring that business is conducted according to rules and precedents. In this capacity the Vice President may cast a deciding vote in the event of a tie. When the President’s office is vacant or the President is temporarily incapacitated, the Vice President discharges presidential functions until a new President is elected or the incumbent returns.

Election, term and qualifications

The Vice President is chosen by an indirect election in which the members of both houses of Parliament participate as an electoral college. The voting procedure uses a secret ballot and a system intended to reflect proportional representation among electors. The office carries a fixed term of five years, and an incumbent may be re‑elected. Eligibility requirements are set by law and the Constitution; the holder must be qualified to be elected to Parliament and must not hold any office of profit under the government.

Historical background and notable incumbents

The post has existed since the early years of the Republic. Its occupants have included senior statespersons and political figures who played roles in legislative and constitutional life. Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan served as the first Vice President and went on to become President. As of 2022 the office is held by Jagdeep Dhankhar, who won the vice‑presidential election over his principal opponent. The Vice President’s place in the order of precedence and in succession to the Presidency makes it an important stabilizing element of Indian constitutional practice.

How the office differs from other posts

• Relation to the President: The Vice President is subordinate to the President but constitutionally distinct; the Vice President succeeds temporarily to the President’s duties when needed. See the role of the President for comparison.
• Parliamentary role: Unlike the President, the Vice President is the ex‑officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, responsible for conducting its deliberations.
• Method of selection: The Vice President is elected by an electoral college composed of members of both houses of the Parliament through a secret ballot and proportional system — see the electoral college procedure for details.

Significance and constitutional safeguards

The Vice President helps ensure uninterrupted constitutional governance. When required to act as President, the Vice President exercises the full authority of that office until the situation is resolved. Provisions in the Constitution and related laws govern succession, removal and the conditions under which the Vice President may be called upon to assume presidential duties, including in cases of resignation, death or impeachment of the President. The constitutional text that creates the office is summarized in Article provisions establishing the post.

Because the Vice President links the executive and the legislature, the office carries both symbolic weight and practical influence over legislative procedure and continuity of state leadership.