Rajya Sabha to function under Deputy Chairman until VP election: Expert

Although rare, mid-term resignations from the Vice Presidency are not without precedent, and the Constitution offers a clear roadmap for what follows.

Jul 22, 2025 - 04:30
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Rajya Sabha to function under Deputy Chairman until VP election: Expert

New Delhi: The resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has once more introduced attention to the constitutional mechanisms designed to make certain that continuity in India’s parliamentary framework.

Though rare, mid-term resignations from the Vice Presidency are no longer without precedent, and the Structure gives a sure roadmap for what follows.

Dhankhar’s resolution to step down with immediate attain became once accredited formally by the President, in response to Article 67(a), which enables for voluntary resignation. This departure naturally raises questions about leadership in the Rajya Sabha, provided that the Vice President serves as its ex-officio Chairman.

But, apt consultants and parliamentary insiders maintain underscored that no constitutional disaster is seemingly to come up.

“With immediate attain, Dhankhar’s resignation has been accredited, and the constitutional provisions approach into play,” outlined Virag Gupta, a Supreme Court docket attorney and constitutional knowledgeable.

“Even sooner than this, many Vice Presidents maintain resigned. In their absence, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha assumes their responsibilities, particularly because the Vice President serves because the ex-officio Chairman of the Upper House.”

This institutional mechanism ensures that legislative industry continues seamlessly. Gupta emphasised that there will seemingly be no constitutional disaster ensuing from this transition.

“The Vice President holds a principal procedural position in Parliament, but because the Deputy Chairman’s post in the Rajya Sabha is stuffed – unlike in the Lok Sabha – the chamber’s leadership remains intact.”

The supply for resignation is successfully established, and in Dhankhar’s absence, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha assumes the accountability of presiding over its lessons.

This transition is no longer ad hoc but rooted in constitutional protocol, which ensures that the legislative job remains uninterrupted.

Interestingly, whereas the Deputy Speaker’s post in the Lok Sabha has remained vacant for a protracted interval, the Rajya Sabha has maintained its leadership building, ensuring the chamber’s operational stability. The presence of an brisk Deputy Chairman is precisely what insulates Parliament from any procedural paralysis at some level of this interregnum.

Till a new Vice President is elected – a job that should happen inner six months – the Deputy Chairman will proceed to oversee lawsuits and uphold parliamentary norms.

The Vice President’s position in Indian governance, whereas no longer executive in nature, is indispensable for the functioning of the Upper House. His resignation, therefore, is no longer merely a inner most or political moment—it activates a chain of institutional responses that safeguard democratic continuity.

As the political establishment gears up for the election of a new Vice President, the functioning of the Rajya Sabha remains stable, testomony to the resilience and foresight embedded in India’s constitutional gain.

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