Jagdeep Dhankhar, former Bengal governor, sworn in as India’s vice president . The vice-President of India is also ex officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.

Article 63 of Indian Constitution states that “there shall be a Vice-President of India.” The Vice-President acts as President in the absence of the President due to death, resignation, impeachment, or other situations.

LEARNING WITH TIMES

The Election Commission of  India conducts the election to the office of the Vice-President. All doubts and disputes arising in connection with the election of the Vice-President are enquired into and decided by the Supreme Court of India whose decision is final.

The Vice-President is elected by an electoral college consisting of all members of both Houses of Parliament, in accordance with the system of proportional representation[1] by means of the single transferable vote and the voting in such election is by secret ballot.

2. The Vice-President is not a member of either House of Parliament or of a House of a Legislature of any state. If a member of either House of Parliament or of a House of a Legislature of any state is elected as Vice-President, he is deemed to have vacated his seat in that House on the date he/she enters his office as Vice-President.
3. A person cannot be elected as Vice-President unless he –

is a citizen of India; has completed the age of 35 years, and is qualified for election as a member of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha). A person is not also eligible if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or a State Government or any subordinate local authority.

4. An election to fill a vacancy caused by the expiry of the term of office of Vice-President is completed before the expiry of the term. In case a vacancy arises by reasons of death, resignation or removal or otherwise, the election to fill that vacancy is held as soon as possible after the occurrence. The person so elected is entitled to hold office for a full term of 5 years from the date he enters office.

[1] Counting of votes in Rajya Sabha, legislative Council, President and Vice President elections follows Single transferable vote system. voters put numbers next to candidates, with their favourite candidate as number one, their second favourite as number two, and so on. To get elected, candidates need to reach a set share of the vote, known as the quota, determined by the number of positions to be filled.Each voter gets just one vote, but the numbering provides instructions for the counters to allow the vote to transfer. Once all the votes are counted, any candidates who have more than the quota are elected. In order to properly represent the area, rather than waste votes over the quota, these votes are re-distributed based on the voter’s instructions. If no candidate gets elected then the worst performing candidate is eliminated and their votes redistributed. This process continues until all seats are filled.