Dhankhar made 'unscheduled visit' to Rashtrapati Bhavan before announcing resignation

Before his surprise resignation, former vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar made an "unscheduled visit" to the Rashtrapati Bhavan late on Monday evening, official sources said.

Dhankhar met President Murmu around 9 pm on Monday and handed over his resignation to her. Half an hour later, he made his resignation letter public on X, they said.

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

Dhankhar, 74, assumed office in August 2022 and his term would have ended in August 2027.

The resignation of Dhankhar, who was also the ex officio chairman of the Rajya Sabha, came on the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament.