Mumbai: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned late Monday night, citing health concerns and the need to prioritise medical care. The resignation, addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, takes immediate effect. Sources told this newspaper that he is unlikely to attend the Parliament session on Tuesday.
In his letter, Dhankhar thanked the President for her “unwavering support” and the “soothing, wonderful working relationship” they shared. He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Council of Ministers for their “invaluable support,” and wrote that the warmth and affection shown by Members of Parliament “will remain embedded in my memory.”
Describing his time in office as a “period of insight and privilege,” Dhankhar said it had been an honour to witness and take part in India’s economic transformation. “Serving in this transformative era of our nation’s history has been a true honor,” he wrote. As he demitted office, he said he was filled with pride in “Bharat’s global rise” and held “unwavering confidence” in its future.
The resignation came just hours after what turned out to be his final sitting as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Opening the monsoon session earlier in the day, Dhankhar had urged members across party lines to reduce acrimony and engage in constructive politics. “A thriving democracy cannot sustain constant acrimony. Political tension must be reduced, as confrontation is not the essence of politics,” he said.
Calling on both the ruling and opposition benches to “foster bonhomie and mutual respect, avoiding unbecoming language or personal attacks,” Dhankhar added: “While political parties may pursue the same goals through different approaches, no one in India opposes the nation’s interests… Dialogue and discussion, not conflict, are the way forward.”
There was no public indication during the day of what was to follow. Dhankhar had informed the House that he had received a notice of motion signed by more than 50 members, seeking the constitution of a committee to consider the removal of Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma.
Reading out provisions from Article 217(1)(b) and Article 124(4) of the Constitution, as well as Section 3(1) of the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968, Dhankhar explained that since a similar motion had been submitted in the Lok Sabha by over 100 MPs—as confirmed by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal—the process to set up the inquiry committee would now be initiated. The Secretary General, he said, would take the necessary steps.
He also referred to a motion he had received in December 2024 from 55 MPs seeking the removal of a judge of the Allahabad High Court—a veiled reference to Justice Shekhar Yadav. “I examined it and found that one member had signed at two places. So while the motion claimed support from 55 members, it was only 54,” he told the House.
“An inquiry was conducted to find out who had signed twice, allegedly. The honourable member denied the second signature. That made the matter more serious,” he said. “It was required of me to get to the bottom of the issue… The process of verifying and authenticating the signatures was initiated and is still underway.”
Dhankhar, 74, assumed office as the 14th Vice President in August 2022. A senior advocate and former Governor of West Bengal, his tenure in Kolkata was marked by frequent clashes with the Mamata Banerjee-led government on issues ranging from corruption and political violence to the functioning of universities and state institutions.
