Vice-President
The Ex-Officio Chairman & The Standby Executive
PART I — OFFICE & ELECTION
ARTICLE 63 & 64
Constitutional Position
- **Art 63:** There shall be a Vice-President of India (the second highest office in the country).
- **Art 64:** The VP is the **ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha**.
- Unlike the US Vice-President, the Indian VP does not assume the Presidency for the unexpired term when a vacancy occurs, but only acts as President temporarily.
ARTICLE 66
The Electoral College
X
- Elected indirectly using Proportional Representation by means of Single Transferable Vote (STV).
- **Crucial Difference from President:** The Electoral College consists of **both elected AND nominated** members of Parliament.
- It completely **excludes** members of State Legislative Assemblies (MLAs).
PART II — TERM & THE STANDBY ROLE
ARTICLE 67
Term & Removal
- Holds office for a term of **5 years**. Can resign by writing to the President.
- **Removal:** No formal impeachment needed. Can be removed by a resolution passed by the **Rajya Sabha by an effective majority** (majority of all then members) and agreed to by the **Lok Sabha by a simple majority**.
- The Constitution mentions no specific grounds for removal.
ARTICLE 65
The Acting President
- Acts as President during a vacancy (death, resignation, impeachment) for a **maximum of 6 months**, within which a new President must be elected.
- Discharges the functions of the President during the President's temporary absence (illness).
- While acting as President, the VP does **not** perform the duties of the Rajya Sabha Chairman and draws the President's salary.
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