Article 67 – Term of Office of Vice-President

Article 67 of the Constitution of India deals with the term of office of the Vice-President, as well as the Vice-President’s resignation and removal from office. It also provides for the continuation of the Vice-President in office until the successor enters upon office.

Meaning of Article 67

Article 67 lays down the main rules governing the tenure of the Vice-President.

It provides that:

• The Vice-President holds office for a term of five years from the date of entering upon office.
• The Vice-President may resign by writing addressed to the President of India.
• The Vice-President may be removed through a resolution of the Rajya Sabha, agreed to by the Lok Sabha.
• The Vice-President continues in office even after the expiry of the five-year term until the successor enters upon office.

Five-Year Term

Under Article 67(a), the Vice-President holds office for a period of five years from the date on which the Vice-President enters upon office.

The five-year period is therefore calculated from the date the Vice-President assumes office, rather than simply from the date of election.

Example

If a Vice-President enters office on 11 August 2026, the normal five-year term runs until 10 August 2031.

However, the Vice-President may continue beyond that date until the successor actually enters upon office.

Continuation After Expiry of Term

The expiry of five years does not automatically create a vacancy if the successor has not yet entered office.

Article 67 expressly provides that the Vice-President shall continue to hold office notwithstanding the expiration of the term until the successor enters upon office.

This ensures continuity in the constitutional office.

It prevents a situation where the office of Vice-President becomes vacant merely because the five-year period has ended while the successor’s assumption of office is pending.

Resignation of Vice-President

Under Article 67(b), the Vice-President may resign from office.

The resignation must be:

• In writing, and
• Addressed to the President of India.

Thus:

Vice-President → Resignation → President

This is different from the President’s resignation under Article 56, which is addressed to the Vice-President.

Removal of Vice-President

Article 67(b) also provides a special procedure for removal.

The Vice-President may be removed from office by a resolution of the Rajya Sabha.

However, the resolution must also be agreed to by the Lok Sabha.

The Constitution therefore requires participation from both Houses, but the process originates in the Rajya Sabha.

Notice of Removal

A resolution for the removal of the Vice-President cannot be moved unless at least 14 days’ notice has been given of the intention to move the resolution.

The constitutional sequence is therefore:

14 days’ notice → Resolution in Rajya Sabha → Agreement by Lok Sabha → Removal

Does Removal Require Impeachment?

No.

The Vice-President is not removed through the impeachment procedure applicable to the President under Article 61.

The Constitution provides a separate removal mechanism under Article 67.

This is an important distinction.

President

Article 61 → Impeachment

Vice-President

Article 67 → Removal by Rajya Sabha resolution agreed to by Lok Sabha

Role of Rajya Sabha in Removal

The Rajya Sabha has the primary role in initiating the removal process.

A resolution must first be passed by the Rajya Sabha.

It must then receive the agreement of the Lok Sabha.

Therefore, the Lok Sabha alone cannot initiate the constitutional removal process under Article 67.

Is the President Involved in Removal?

No.

The President does not have to approve the removal resolution.

The Constitution requires:

Rajya Sabha resolution + Lok Sabha agreement

The President is not made part of this removal procedure.

Resignation vs Removal

These are two different methods by which the Vice-President may leave office.

Basis	Resignation	Removal
Initiated by	Vice-President	Rajya Sabha
Written resignation	Yes	No
Addressed to	President	Not applicable
Rajya Sabha involvement	No	Yes
Lok Sabha involvement	No	Yes, agreement required
Notice period	No constitutional notice specified	14 days
Impeachment	No	No

Can the Vice-President Be Re-elected?

Yes.

Article 67 does not impose a limit on the number of terms a person may serve as Vice-President.

Article 66 governs election, while Article 67 provides the term.

Therefore, a person who has already served as Vice-President may contest the election again, subject to fulfilling the constitutional requirements.

Article 67 and Article 66

These two provisions are closely connected.

Article 66 → Election of Vice-President

Article 67 → Term, resignation and removal

Article 66 determines who can be elected and how the election takes place, while Article 67 governs what happens after the Vice-President assumes office.

Article 67 and Article 68

Article 68 deals with the time of holding an election to fill a vacancy in the office of Vice-President.

Article 67 deals with the term and circumstances in which the Vice-President leaves office.

Therefore:

Article 67 → Term and exit from office

Article 68 → Election to fill vacancy

Article 67 and Article 64

Article 64 makes the Vice-President the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

When the Vice-President’s term ends and the successor enters office, the outgoing Vice-President also ceases to be Chairman by virtue of holding that office.

The Chairmanship is therefore directly connected to the office of Vice-President.

Article 67 and Article 65

Article 65 allows the Vice-President to act as President or discharge presidential functions in specified circumstances.

The Vice-President’s five-year term under Article 67 continues to govern the underlying office even when the Vice-President temporarily performs presidential functions.

Article 67 at a Glance

Point	Constitutional Position
Article	Article 67
Subject	Term of office of Vice-President
Normal term	5 years
Term begins	Date of entering upon office
Continuation after term	Until successor enters office
Resignation	Written resignation
Resignation addressed to	President
Removal initiated in	Rajya Sabha
Removal requires	Rajya Sabha resolution agreed to by Lok Sabha
Notice for removal resolution	14 days
Impeachment required?	No
Re-election permitted?	Yes

Article 67 and Related Constitutional Provisions

Article	Subject
Article 63	Vice-President of India
Article 64	Vice-President as ex officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha
Article 65	Vice-President acting as President
Article 66	Election of Vice-President
Article 67	Term, resignation and removal
Article 68	Election to fill vacancy
Article 69	Oath or affirmation
Article 70	Other contingencies relating to President
Article 71	Election disputes

Common Confusions

Is the Vice-President’s Term Exactly Five Years?

The normal term is five years from the date of entering office. However, the Vice-President continues in office after the expiry of the term until the successor enters office.

Can the Vice-President Resign?

Yes.

The resignation must be in writing and addressed to the President of India.

Can the President Remove the Vice-President?

No.

The Constitution does not give the President the power to remove the Vice-President.

Removal takes place through a Rajya Sabha resolution agreed to by the Lok Sabha.

Is the Vice-President Impeached?

No.

The impeachment procedure under Article 61 applies to the President, not the Vice-President.

Can the Vice-President Be Re-elected?

Yes.

The Constitution does not impose a maximum number of terms for the Vice-President.

Does the Rajya Sabha Alone Remove the Vice-President?

No.

The removal resolution is passed by the Rajya Sabha and must be agreed to by the Lok Sabha.

Is 14 Days’ Notice Required for Resignation?

No.

The 14-day notice requirement applies to a resolution for removal, not to resignation.

Quick Revision

• Article 67 → Term of office of Vice-President.
• Normal term is five years.
• The term begins from the date the Vice-President enters upon office.
• The Vice-President continues after the expiry of the term until the successor enters office.
• The Vice-President may resign by writing addressed to the President.
• The Vice-President can be removed by a Rajya Sabha resolution agreed to by Lok Sabha.
• 14 days’ notice is required before moving the removal resolution.
• The Vice-President is not impeached like the President.
• There is no constitutional limit on re-election.
• Article 66 → Election.
• Article 67 → Term, resignation and removal.
• Article 68 → Election to fill vacancy.

Conclusion

Article 67 establishes the rules governing the term and tenure of the Vice-President of India. The Vice-President normally serves for five years from the date of entering office, but may continue beyond the expiry of that period until the successor assumes office.

The Article also provides distinct mechanisms for resignation and removal. While resignation is made directly to the President, removal is initiated in the Rajya Sabha and requires the agreement of the Lok Sabha. Unlike the President, the Vice-President is not subject to an impeachment procedure.

The key point to remember is:

Article 67 → The Vice-President has a five-year term, may resign by writing to the President, and may be removed by a Rajya Sabha resolution agreed to by the Lok Sabha after 14 days’ notice.