Jagdeep Dhankhar not the first Indian Vice President to resign midterm — here’s who did it before and why

Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned as Vice President of India on July 21. On Monday night, citing medical reasons, Dhankar tendered his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu. 

Dhankhar's resignation comes hours after he presided over the first sitting of Rajya Sabha as chairperson during the Monsoon Session of Parliament that began on July 21. Vice President of India is the chairperson of Rajya Sabha.

"To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as the Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution.

The Vice President of India is the second-highest constitutional office in the government of India after the President. In accordance with Article 63 of the Constitution of India, the Vice President discharges the functions of the President when a contingency arises due to the President's resignation, removal, death, impeachment, or inability to discharge their functions. 

Dhankhar is not the first Vice President to quit before the end of the term. But he is the first to quit for health reasons. 

Many Vice Presidents of India have resigned before him from office since the post was established in 1952

In most cases, the reason has been to contest the Presidential election.

In May 1969, Vice President VV Giri resigned following the death of President Zakir Husain. Giri eventually won the elections to become the fourth President of India.