Short essay on The Vice-President of India

The Constitution provide for a Vice-President whose role in the Government is comparatively insignificant. Going through the provisions dealing with his office, one can easily see a striking similarity between the role of the Vice-President of India and that of his counterpart in the United States.

The American Vice-President is sometimes called “His Superfluous Highness” to charactrise his comparative insignificance in the administration. But there is a provision in the American Constitution which makes the Vice-President potentially important.

According to this, if the President dies in office, or is removed from office, the Vice-President takes over the President’s office and continues in that capacity for the full length of the unexpired term.

But under the Indian Constitution, if the President dies or resigns or is otherwise incapacitated and, as a result, the Presidential office becomes vacant, the Vice-President will act as President only for a maximum period of six months.

The main function of the Vice-President like that of his American prototype is to preside over the Council of States. He is its ex officio Chairman.

The Vice-President is elected by the members of both Houses of Parliament at a joint meeting. The election will be conducted in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. The voting will be by secret ballot.

The Vice-President will take over the office of the President, normally, under four situations death of the President; resignation of the President; removal of the President from his office through impeachment or otherwise; and finally, when the President is unable to discharge his functions owing to absence, illness or any other cause.

The last of these clearly provides for any temporary period of incapacity which makes the President incapable of discharging his responsibilities.

During the period when the Vice-President is acting for the President, he will have all the powers and immunities of the President. He is also entitled for such salary and allowances and privileges as may be determined by Parliament by law for the purpose.

At present, according to the Second Schedule to the Constitution, the Vice-President is entitled to the same emoluments allowances and privileges as the President while he discharges the functions of, or is acting as the President.

Any Indian citizen who has completed the age of 35 years and who is qualified for election as a member of the Council of States is eligible for election as Vice-President. But no person who holds an office of profit under the Government of India or any State or local or other authority in India is eligible for the purpose.

The Vice-President cannot be a member of either House of Parliament or a member of any State legislature. He can be removed from office by a resolution of the Council of States passed by a majority of all the then members of the Council and agreed to by the House of the People.

But this procedure does not seem to be sufficient, if at the time such removal is sought, the Vice-President is acting for the President. If he is to be removed from office while he acts in the latter capacity, the provisions ought to be exactly the same as are applicable to the impeachment of the President.

Although the Constitution does not confer upon the Vice-President, the great authority that it; vests in the President as the Head of the State, the office of the Vice-President has been one of great dignity and prestige.

The personality of its incumbents, most of who have all been eminent men has been one of the major reasons. The dignity and prestige that are established today may be expected to remain with the office of the Vice-President in the years to come.