Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar resigns

Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankar resigned from his post on Monday, citing health reasons.

In a letter sent to the President and posted on his Twitter (X) account, Dhankar said that he is resigning with immediate effect to prioritise his health and abide by the medical advice.

"To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the constitution," he said.

He thanked the President and the Prime Minister for their support.

"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. I express my deep gratitude to the Hon't 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."

Dhankar was sworn in as the 14th Vice President of India on August 11, 2022.

He was born in 1951 in Rajasthan. He studied law at the University of Rajasthan, and was designated a Senior Advocate in 1990 by the Rajasthan High Court.

Dhankar served as a Member of Parliament, a state legislator, and Union Minister in the early 1990s. From 2019 to 2022, he was Governor of West Bengal, known for his frequent clashes with the state government.

As Vice President and Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar was often in the news for his exchanges with the Members of Parliament in the chamber and his harsh criticism of the judiciary.

[Read his resignation letter]