Introduction

• The office of the Vice President (VP) in India was modelled after the U.S. system.

• Intended to serve dual roles: as Rajya Sabha Chairperson and as a stand-in for the President.

• However, its limited visibility and constitutional scope contrast sharply with its American counterpart.

Origin and Constitutional Intent

• Borrowed from the U.S. Constitution, where the VP is an integral part of the executive.

• In India, Article 63 provides for a Vice President mainly to:

  • Step in temporarily for the President.

  • Preside over the Rajya Sabha.

Why this matters:

• In the U.S., the VP is deeply embedded in the executive structure; in India, he remains on the fringes.

Presidential Succession: India vs U.S.

• U.S. VP: Automatically becomes President for the remainder of the term.

  • Historical instances: Nine VPs have succeeded as President upon vacancy.

• Indian VP: Acts as President only temporarily.

  • A new President must be elected within 6 months (Article 65).

  • Does not complete the remaining term.

Implication: Succession in India is procedural and interim, not automatic or enduring.

Legislative Function: Presiding Over the Upper House

• U.S.: VP presides over a powerful Senate with significant checks on the executive.

• India: VP presides over the Rajya Sabha, which is less powerful than the Lok Sabha.

  • Members of Rajya Sabha are indirectly elected.

  • Speaker of Lok Sabha holds more influence than the Rajya Sabha Chairperson.

Contrast: The VP’s legislative stature in India is diluted due to the limited powers of the Rajya Sabha.

Visibility and Political Significance

• In the U.S., the VP is part of the President’s inner circle—National Security Council, foreign missions, and executive affairs.

• In India, the VP is politically distant from the executive.

  • Elections for President and VP are separate.

  • The VP has no regular executive duties.

Result: The office lacks political or administrative clout in day-to-day governance.

Structural and Systemic Mismatch

• India follows a parliamentary system, unlike the presidential U.S. system.

• The PM and Cabinet hold real power; the President and VP have limited ceremonial roles.

• The VP’s office has remained largely symbolic with rare instances of assertive influence.

Paradox: A constitutional import intended to be impactful became a marginal office.

Way Forward

• Reconsider the functional relevance of the Vice-President in a parliamentary democracy.

• Enhance the legislative role or limit the ceremonial expectations.

• Reforms could clarify succession, powers, and visibility of the office.

Conclusion

The Indian Vice President’s office, though inspired by the robust American model, remains structurally constrained. In a parliamentary setup with a weak Upper House, the position remains ceremonial, lacking the political weight it enjoys in a presidential democracy.

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