Vice President of India Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Vice President of the Republic of India
Flag of India
Logo of The Vice President of India
'Incumbent Vacant'
Style	The Honourable (formal) Mr. Vice President (informal) His Excellency (in diplomatic correspondence)
Abbreviation	VP/V-P
Residence	Vice President's Enclave
Seat	New Delhi, Delhi, India
Appointer	Electoral College of India
Term length	Five years Renewable
Constituting instrument	Constitution of India (Article 63)
Inaugural holder	Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1950–1962)
Formation	13 May 1950; 75 years ago (1950-05-13)
Deputy	Deputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha (in Rajya Sabha)
Salary	₹400,000 (US$6,800) per month

The Vice President of India is a very important leader in India. They are like the assistant to the President of India, who is the head of the country. This job is the second-highest position in India's government, right after the President.

The Vice President also leads the Rajya Sabha, which is one of the two main groups of lawmakers in India's Parliament. They are ranked second in the official list of important people in India.

The rules for choosing the Vice President are written in the Constitution of India. People don't vote for the Vice President directly. Instead, a special group called an electoral college chooses them. This group includes members from both parts of Parliament. They use a special voting system called proportional representation with single transferable votes. The Election Commission of India makes sure the voting is fair and secret.

The Vice President also has other important roles. They are the head of Panjab University and University of Delhi. They also lead the Indian Institute of Public Administration.

Becoming Vice President
How long does the Vice President serve?
Can the Vice President be removed?
Salary and benefits
See also

Becoming Vice President

Who can be Vice President?

To become the Vice President, a person must meet certain requirements, just like the President:

They must be a citizen of India.
They need to be at least 35 years old.
They cannot hold any other government job that pays a salary.
They don't have to be a member of Parliament already, but they must be qualified to become a member of the Rajya Sabha.

It's important that the Vice President is qualified for the Rajya Sabha because they lead that group. They can't do both jobs (Vice President and leader of Rajya Sabha) at the exact same time.

How is the Vice President elected?

The Vice President is chosen by an electoral college. This group includes members from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha (both elected and nominated members). They use a system called proportional representation with single transferable votes, and the voting is secret.

The election for Vice President is a bit different from the President's election. Members of state governments do not vote for the Vice President, but nominated members of the Rajya Sabha do.

To become a candidate, a person needs at least 20 members of Parliament to suggest their name and another 20 to support it. Each candidate also has to pay a security deposit of ₹15,000 (US$260) to the Reserve Bank of India.

The Election Commission of India organizes the election. It must happen within 60 days after the previous Vice President's term ends. An official, usually a secretary-general from Parliament, is chosen to manage the election. This official announces the election and invites people to apply.

Voters rank the candidates from their first choice to their last. To win, a candidate needs a certain number of votes. If no one gets enough first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is removed, and their second-choice votes are given to other candidates. This continues until someone wins.

After the votes are counted, the election official announces the winner. The government then officially publishes the name of the new Vice President.

The Vice President can choose to leave their job by writing a letter to the President. Their resignation becomes official when the President accepts it. If the Vice President resigns, a new election must be held quickly.

What if there are election problems?

If there are any disagreements or problems with the Vice President's election, the Supreme Court of India looks into them. A special group of five judges from the Supreme Court hears the case and makes the final decision.

The Supreme Court can even remove a Vice President if they find serious problems with the election or if the Vice President is not qualified to be a Rajya Sabha member.

Taking the oath

Before starting the job, the Vice President takes an oath or makes a promise. They promise to be loyal to the Constitution of India and to do their job well. The President of India is there to give the oath to the new Vice President.

How long does the Vice President serve?

The Vice President usually holds office for five years. They can be re-elected many times. However, their term can end earlier if they pass away, resign, or are removed from office.

If the Vice President's job becomes empty suddenly, the Constitution doesn't have a specific plan for who takes over immediately. However, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha can perform the Vice President's duties as the leader of the Rajya Sabha.

If the President passes away while in office, the Vice President steps in as President. They can serve as President for up to six months until a new President is elected.

Can the Vice President be removed?

Yes, the Vice President can be removed from office. The Rajya Sabha can start the process with a special vote. If most of the Rajya Sabha members agree, then the Lok Sabha must also agree with a simple majority vote.

However, this process cannot start unless the Vice President is given at least 14 days' notice. The Constitution does not list specific reasons for removal. Before Jagdeep Dhankhar, no Vice President had faced a removal motion. A motion to remove Jagdeep Dhankhar was not accepted in the Rajya Sabha.

Salary and benefits

The Vice President does not get a salary specifically for being the Vice President. Instead, they receive a salary for being the leader of the Rajya Sabha. Currently, this salary is ₹400,000 (US$6,800) per month.

Besides the salary, the Vice President also gets a free home, medical care, travel benefits, and other facilities. If the Vice President acts as the President, they receive the salary and benefits of the President. The pension for a retired Vice President is 50% of their salary.

Vice President of India facts for kids

Contents