VP Mr. Jagdeep dhankhar’s Sudden Resignation

NEW DELHI, India – July 22, 2025 – A wave of surprise swept through India’s political heart today as Jagdeep Dhankhar, the nation’s Vice President, suddenly stepped down from his position. His resignation, submitted on Monday, July 21, 2025, officially cited “health issues and the need to follow medical advice.” But this unexpected departure, coming on the very first day of the crucial Monsoon session of Parliament, has left many wondering: what really led to his early exit from a term that was set to continue until August 2027?

At 74, Jagdeep Dhankhar arrived in the Vice President’s office on August 11, 2022, bringing with him a rich background in law and a long history in politics. Before his time as VP, he served as the Governor of West Bengal from 2019 to 2022. This period was quite eventful, often seeing him in open disagreement with the state’s Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee. Beyond that, he also held a position as a Union Minister and was a respected member of both the Lok Sabha (the lower house of India’s Parliament) and the Rajasthan state assembly. As Vice President, he naturally took on the crucial role of leading the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Parliament.

The news of his resignation, which was made official by the government, has led to a lot of guessing and discussion. Even though he mentioned health as the main reason, many people are wondering if there are “deeper reasons” behind his sudden departure. This feeling is strong because Mr. Dhankhar had joked just a few weeks ago that he would only retire in August 2027 if there was “divine intervention.” The fact that he resigned so suddenly, especially on the first day of a new Parliament session, has only made these questions grow louder.

Adding to the intrigue, just hours before his resignation, unusual events unfolded in the Rajya Sabha. Mr. jagdeep Dhankhar, as Chairman, addressed critical matters like a move to remove a High Court judge and the odd discovery of unclaimed cash. Reports also suggest he was unhappy when two government ministers missed a key meeting, leading him to reschedule it. Despite the government’s explanation, the timing of these incidents, right before his sudden exit, has certainly caught the public’s eye.

During his Vice Presidency, Mr. jagdeep Dhankhar was known for his active and firm leadership of the Rajya Sabha. He strictly enforced parliamentary rules, often leading to tense moments with opposition parties. He also garnered attention for his candid remarks on court decisions and his public questioning of a Supreme Court ruling on judicial appointments.

His resignation marks only the third time in India’s history that a Vice President has left office before their term ended. The previous two, V.V. Giri and R. Venkataraman, both resigned to run for President.

What Happens Next?

With Mr. Dhankhar now out of office, all eyes are on the search for India’s next Vice President. The Constitution simply says this crucial election needs to happen “as soon as possible” – it’s not like the presidential vacancy, which has a strict six-month countdown. For now, it’s the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, Harivansh Narayan Singh, who will step up to lead the upper house, keeping things running smoothly.

So, who gets to pick the new Vice President? It’s a special group of all elected and even nominated members from both our Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. They’ll cast their votes in a secret ballot, so no one knows exactly who voted for whom. Ultimately, it’s the Election Commission of India that will decide when this important national event will take place, setting the whole process in motion.

As political parties begin the quiet, but intense, discussions about who their candidate might be, everyone’s trying to figure out what Mr. Dhankhar’s sudden departure truly means for the big picture of Indian politics. It’s a moment that has us all pausing, wondering about the deeper currents at play behind this significant shift in our nation’s leadership.

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