This is tnpsc notes for polity for the top: Vice President
- On the pattern of the Constitution of USA, the Indian Constitution provides for the office of the Vice-President of India (Article 63).
- Articles 63 to 70 of the Indian Constitution deal with Vice President
- The Vice President of India occupies the second-highest office in the country.
Election of Vice President of India
- The vice-president of India is elected by the elected members of both Houses of Parliament by secret ballot on the basis of proportional representation system, by means of the single transferable vote.
Qualification of Vice President
- To be eligible for election to the office of Vice-President,
- candidate must be citizen of India
- must have completed the age of 35 years
- must be eligible for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha
- must not hold any office of profit.
The provision are similar to President.
Terms of Office of Vice President
- The Vice President is elected for a term of five years
- The vice President can voluntarily resign from his office before the completion of his term of office by writing to the President.
- The Vice President may also be removed from his office, if a resolution to that effect is passed by the Rajya Sabha by an absolute majority of its members and agreed to by the Lok Sabha.
- However fourteen days have to be given to move such resolution.
Duties of Vice President of India
- The Vice President is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha by Article 64 of the Indian Constitution.
- Vice President presides over the meetings of the Rajya Sabha.
- As the presiding officer of the Rajya Sabha, his functions and powers are similar to those of the speaker of Lok sabha.
- Vice President draws his salary as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha because the Vice President’s office itself carries no salary.
- In the event of the occurrence of any vacancy in the office of the President by reason of his death, resignation or removal, or otherwise, the Vice President shall act as President until a new President is elected.
- This period shall not exceed six months.
- While acting as President the Vice President gets salary, allowance, emoluments etc as may be fixed by Parliament by law, and during that time he does not perform the duties of the chairman of Rajya Sabha.
