The Vice-President: Second Highest Constitutional Office
Official heading: “The Vice-President of India”
- Source edition
- The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)
- Source locator
- Part V, Article 63, printed page 29
- Last human source-link check
- Not yet checked
- Last human legal review
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1. In One Sentence
Article 63 establishes the office of the Vice-President of India, who ranks second in constitutional precedence.
2. What It Means in Everyday Language
Article 63 creates the office of the Vice-President of India. Modeled in part on the American vice-presidency, this office provides an institutional backup for the presidency and constitutional leadership for the upper house of Parliament.
The Vice-President occupies the second highest constitutional rank in the Republic of India, standing immediately below the President in the national warrant of precedence.
The office is dual-faceted: during ordinary times, the Vice-President presides over the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) as its ex officio Chairman; during an emergency vacancy or presidential illness, the Vice-President acts as President.
3. Practical Illustrative Example
A national state ceremony or foreign dignitary visit takes place when the President is abroad on official tour.
4. Important Limits, Qualifications & Exceptions
Article 63 establishes the permanent constitutional institution of the Vice-Presidency.
- Mandatory constitutional office ranking second in national precedence.
- Dual constitutional roles: Upper house presiding officer and presidential successor.
- Elected by members of Parliament under Article 66, distinct from the presidential electoral college.
5. Operative Constitutional Text
6. Sources & Historical Assembly Deliberations
Assembly quotations are withheld until wording, dates, and attribution have been checked against the primary record.
- •Government of India (Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice) • Part V, Article 63, printed page 29 • Human source-link check pending
Primary PDF accessed and transcribed with AI assistance on 14 October 2026. Formatting and amendment annotation markers are omitted; operative wording is retained. This is not human legal review. Later amendments and commencement notifications have not been comprehensively checked.