Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan sworn in as the 15th Vice-President of India. He also assumes office as the ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha. Oath administered by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan in presence of dignitaries.
Brief Profile of Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan
Early Life & Education
- Born: 4 May 1957, Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu.
- Education: BBA (Bachelor of Business Administration).
- Profession: Successful garment exporter before active politics.
- Started as an RSS Swayamsevak → State Executive Member of Bharatiya Janasangh (1974).
Parliamentary & Political Career
- 1996 → Secretary of BJP, Tamil Nadu.
- 1998 & 1999 → Elected to Lok Sabha (Coimbatore) twice.
- Key Roles as MP:
- Chairman: Parliamentary Standing Committee on Textiles.
- Member: Committee on PSUs, Finance Consultative Committee, Special Committee on Stock Exchange Scam.
- 2004 → Addressed UN General Assembly as part of Parliamentary Delegation.
- 2004–07 → State President, BJP Tamil Nadu.
- Led 19,000 km Ratha Yatra (93 days) → demands: river linking, terrorism eradication, UCC, social equality, anti-drug campaign.
- Led two additional Padayatras.
- 2016–2020 → Chairman, Coir Board, Kochi → coir exports peaked at ₹2,532 crore.
- 2020–22 → BJP All-India In-Charge for Kerala.
- Governorships:
- Jharkhand (2023–24) – toured all 24 districts in 4 months.
- Additional charges: Governor of Telangana & LG of Puducherry.
- Later: Governor of Maharashtra (till 2025).
Constitutional Provisions Related to Vice President
- Article 63: There shall be a Vice-President of India.
- Articles 63–71: Cover election, role, powers, term, and removal.
Election & Eligibility (Article 66)
- Electoral College: All MPs (Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha, elected + nominated). State MLAs do not participate.
- Voting: Proportional representation by single transferable vote, via secret ballot.
- Eligibility:
- Indian citizen, 35+ years.
- Qualified for Rajya Sabha membership.
- Cannot hold office of profit.
Term, Resignation & Vacancy
- Term: 5 years (Article 67). Can continue till successor takes oath.
- Resignation: To the President (Article 67(a)).
- Vacancy: Filled “as soon as possible” (Article 68).
- Unlike President, no 6-month fixed timeline.
- New VP gets full 5-year term.
Powers & Functions
- Ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha (Article 64):
- Presides over sessions, maintains decorum, interprets procedures.
- Can suspend members (Rule 256).
- Votes only in case of tie (Article 100).
- Refers bills to committees.
- Acts as President (Article 65) in case of vacancy, illness, or absence of President.
- Limitations:
- Does not preside over joint sittings (Speaker does).
- Cannot certify a Money Bill (Speaker’s power).
Removal Procedure
- VP can be removed only by Rajya Sabha resolution (effective majority) + Lok Sabha simple majority.
- Requires 14-day advance notice.
Vice President of India – Quick Facts
- 1st Vice President (1952): Dr. S. Radhakrishnan.
- Longest-serving: Dr. S. Radhakrishnan (1952–62).
- Only VP to become President immediately: Radhakrishnan, Zakir Husain, V.V. Giri, Shankar Dayal Sharma, K.R. Narayanan, Hamid Ansari served as VP before Presidency.
- 14th VP: Jagdeep Dhankhar (2017–2025).
- 15th VP: C.P. Radhakrishnan (2025– ).
Rajya Sabha
- Also called Council of States.
- Established: 1952.
- Members: 245 max (233 elected + 12 nominated by President).
- Tenure of members: 6 years (1/3rd retire every 2 years).
- VP serves as ex-officio Chairman.