About:
- Article 63 of the Constitution states that “there shall be a Vice-President of India”.
- Under Article 64, the Vice-President “shall be ex officio Chairman of the Council of the States” (Rajya Sabha).
- Article 65 says that “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 the date on which a new President…enters upon his office”.
Election of the Vice-President
- Article 66 lays down the process of the election of the Vice-President.
- It says the Vice-President “shall be elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and the voting at such election shall be by secret ballot”.
- Article 66(3) says “No person shall be eligible for election as Vice-President unless he — (a) is a citizen of India; (b) has completed the age of thirty-five years; and (c) is qualified for election as a member of the Council of States”.
