Consider the following Vice-Presidents of India 1. V. V. Giri 2. M. Hidayatullah 3. B.D. Jatti 4. G.S. Pathak Which one of the following is the correct chronology of their tenures ?

1. The Office of the Vice-President: Articles 63-71 (basic)

The Office of the Vice-President of India is the second-highest constitutional office in the country, modeled largely on the American Vice-President. As we begin our journey, it is vital to understand that this office was created primarily to maintain the political continuity of the Indian State Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Vice-President, p.206. If the Presidency falls vacant due to death, resignation, or removal, the Vice-President steps in so there is never a 'vacuum' in the head of the executive. Articles 63 to 71 of the Constitution lay down the framework for this office. While Article 63 simply states "There shall be a Vice-President of India," the subsequent articles define a unique dual role. The Vice-President is not just a 'President-in-waiting'; they also serve as the Ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) under Article 64. Interestingly, while performing the duties of the Chairman, they do not perform the duties of the President, and vice versa Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, World Constitutions, p.698.

Article	Core Subject Matter
63	Establishment of the Office of Vice-President.
64 & 65	The dual role: Ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha and Acting President during vacancies.
66	Election: Elected by an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament.
67	Term: Holds office for a term of 5 years.
71	Matters relating to or connected with the election of a President or Vice-President (including disputes).

One of the most critical aspects of the Vice-President’s tenure is Article 67, which specifies that even after their five-year term expires, they continue to hold office until their successor enters upon the office. This reinforces the principle of continuity. Furthermore, if any dispute arises regarding their election, Article 71 mandates that the Supreme Court of India has the final authority to decide the matter.

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Vice-President, p.206; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), World Constitutions, p.698

2. Election, Qualification, and Tenure (basic)

Welcome back! Now that we know the Vice President (VP) is the second-highest constitutional office in India, let’s look at how a person actually reaches this position and how long they stay there. Think of the VP as a 'President-in-waiting' who also serves as the Ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Because of this dual role, the way they are elected is slightly different from the President.

The Election Process

The Vice President is elected through an indirect election using the system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote. This means citizens don't vote for the VP directly; instead, their representatives in Parliament do. However, the Electoral College for the VP has two very specific differences compared to the Presidential election:

• All MPs Participate: It includes both elected and nominated members of both Houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha). In contrast, nominated members cannot vote for the President.
• No State Participation: It does not include members of the State Legislative Assemblies (MLAs). Since the VP primarily presides over the Union Parliament, the states do not have a say in this specific election Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Vice President, p.203.

Qualifications for Office

To be eligible for election as Vice President under Article 66, a candidate must meet four primary criteria. First, they must be a citizen of India. Second, they must have completed 35 years of age. Third, and this is a common point of confusion, they must be qualified for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha (unlike the President, who must be qualified for the Lok Sabha). Finally, they must not hold any Office of Profit under the government, though serving as a President, VP, Governor, or Minister is not considered an office of profit for this purpose D. D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India, The Union Executive, p.208.

Tenure and Succession

Under Article 67, the Vice President holds office for a term of five years from the date they enter office. They can resign at any time by writing to the President, or they can be removed by a resolution of the Rajya Sabha. To help you understand the continuity of this office, let’s look at the sequence of some notable past Vice Presidents:

Sources: Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Vice President, p.203, 206; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.), The Union Executive, p.208; Exploring Society: India and Beyond, NCERT Class VIII, Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System, p.137

3. Dual Roles: Rajya Sabha Chairman & Acting President (intermediate)

In the architecture of Indian democracy, the Vice-President (VP) wears two distinct hats, but never at the same time. The primary role of the VP is to serve as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. The term 'ex-officio' means that by virtue of holding the office of the Vice-President, the individual automatically becomes the presiding officer of the Upper House Indian Polity, Parliament, p.233. In this capacity, the VP’s powers—such as maintaining order, interpreting rules, and exercising a casting vote—closely mirror those of the Lok Sabha Speaker.

However, the office was fundamentally created to ensure political continuity and prevent an 'interregnum' (a gap in the head of state). Under Article 65, if the President's office falls vacant due to death, resignation, or removal, or if the President is unable to discharge duties due to absence or illness, the VP steps in to act as the President Introduction to the Constitution of India, The Union Executive, p.207. This 'standby' function is critical because the Indian state cannot function without a formal head for even a single day.

The most crucial constitutional nuance is the mutual exclusivity of these roles. When the VP acts as the President or discharges the President's functions, they cease to perform the duties of the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Indian Polity, Vice-President, p.206. During this period, the duties of the Chairman are performed by the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Furthermore, the VP does not receive the salary of the Chairman while acting as President; instead, they are entitled to the salary, allowances, and privileges of the President of India.

Feature	Role as Chairman	Role as Acting President
Constitutional Basis	Article 64	Article 65
Salary/Perks	Paid as Chairman of Rajya Sabha	Paid as President of India
Who performs RS duties?	The Vice-President themselves	The Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Parliament, p.233; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.), The Union Executive, p.207; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Vice-President, p.206

4. The Presidential Succession Act 1969 (intermediate)

To understand the Presidential Succession Act, 1969, we must first look at the constitutional framework. Under Article 65, if the office of the President falls vacant due to death, resignation, or removal, the Vice-President acts as the President. However, the Constitution-makers realized there might be a rare 'double vacancy' where both offices are empty. To address this, Article 70 empowers Parliament to make provisions for the discharge of the President's functions in such contingencies. This led to the enactment of the Presidential Succession Act in 1969.

The Act was put to the test almost immediately after its passage. In May 1969, the sitting President, Dr. Zakir Husain, passed away in office Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth (7th ed.), World Constitutions, p.739. The then Vice-President, V.V. Giri, took over as the Acting President. However, Giri soon resigned from both his position as Vice-President and his role as Acting President to contest the upcoming Presidential election as an independent candidate Politics in India since Independence, Class XII (NCERT 2025), p.83. This created a unique constitutional vacuum where neither a President nor a Vice-President was in office.

Under the hierarchy established by the 1969 Act, the line of succession is clearly defined to ensure the continuity of the State:

• Chief Justice of India (CJI): If the Vice-President is unavailable to act as President, the CJI steps in.
• Senior-most Judge of the Supreme Court: If the CJI is also unavailable, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court (who is available) discharges the functions.

During the 1969 crisis, Justice Mohammad Hidayatullah, the then Chief Justice of India, became the first (and so far only) CJI to serve as the Acting President of India from July 20 to August 24, 1969 Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth (7th ed.), World Constitutions, p.739. It is important to note that while Hidayatullah acted as President in 1969 due to his judicial rank, he was later formally elected as the Vice-President of India in 1979, serving a full five-year term until 1984.

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), World Constitutions, p.739; Politics in India since Independence, Class XII (NCERT 2025), Challenges to and Restoration of the Congress System, p.83

5. Constitutional Order of Precedence (exam-level)

The Warrant of Precedence is a protocol list issued by the President’s Secretariat that determines the relative rank and status of various dignitaries and high officials in the Union and State governments. In this constitutional hierarchy, the Vice-President of India occupies the second rank, positioned immediately after the President and before the Prime Minister. This hierarchy is primarily for ceremonial protocol, such as state funerals and diplomatic functions, but it also reflects the formal dignity of the office Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Chapter: Vice-President, p.18.1.

While the Vice-President's rank is fixed, mastering the chronological sequence of the individuals who have held the office is vital for understanding political transitions in India. In the late 1960s and through the 1970s, the office saw a transition from V.V. Giri (who vacated the office to become President) to G.S. Pathak, then to B.D. Jatti. A notable figure in this timeline is Justice M. Hidayatullah; though he served as Acting President in 1969 while he was the Chief Justice, he was formally elected as the Vice-President much later, in 1979 Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, Chapter 35: Tables, p.534.

Rank	Dignitary
1	President
2	Vice-President
3	Prime Minister
4	Governors of States (within their respective states)
5	Former Presidents

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Vice-President, p.18.1; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, Chapter 35: TABLES, p.534

6. Chronology of Vice-Presidents (1960s - 1980s Focus) (exam-level)

Understanding the chronology of the Vice-Presidents of India is not just about memorizing dates; it is about understanding the political transitions of our nation. During the 1960s to 1980s, the office saw significant figures who played dual roles, often stepping in as Acting Presidents during vacancies. This period begins with V.V. Giri (1967–1969), who served as the third Vice-President but resigned to contest the Presidency following the death of Dr. Zakir Husain Indian Polity, World Constitutions, p.739.

Following Giri’s resignation, Gopal Swarup Pathak (1969–1974) took office. He is historically notable as the first Vice-President who did not eventually succeed to the office of the President. He was followed by B.D. Jatti (1974–1979), who served during the tumultuous years of the Emergency and later acted as President following the demise of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Introduction to the Constitution of India, TABLES, p.534.

The sequence concludes in this era with Justice Mohammad Hidayatullah (1979–1984). Students often find Hidayatullah tricky because he had already served as Acting President in 1969 in his capacity as the Chief Justice of India. However, his formal tenure as the elected Vice-President did not begin until a decade later, in 1979, after B.D. Jatti completed his term Introduction to the Constitution of India, TABLES, p.533.

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, World Constitutions, p.739; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, TABLES, p.534; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, TABLES, p.533

7. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

Now that you have mastered the constitutional provisions regarding the Vice-President’s election and tenure, this question challenges you to apply that structural knowledge to the historical timeline of the Indian executive. The key here is to connect the office-holders to the political transitions of the late 1960s and 70s. During this era, the sudden deaths of two sitting Presidents created a ripple effect, forcing Vice-Presidents to step into acting roles or vacate their seats for presidential bids. Recognizing these anchor events is the secret to unlocking chronological questions in the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

To arrive at the correct sequence, start with V.V. Giri (1), who served from 1967 but resigned in 1969 to contest the presidency following the death of Zakir Husain. This transition led to the appointment of G.S. Pathak (4), who served a full term until 1974. He was succeeded by B.D. Jatti (3), famously known for becoming the Acting President after the demise of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed in 1977. Finally, M. Hidayatullah (2), the former Chief Justice, was elected unopposed as Vice-President in 1979. By following this historical flow, we find the sequence 1-4-3-2, confirming that (A) is the correct answer.

The common trap UPSC sets in this question revolves around Justice M. Hidayatullah. Because he served as the Acting President in 1969 (while he was the Chief Justice of India), many candidates mistakenly place him at the beginning of the list. However, his formal tenure as the elected Vice-President did not occur until much later, after B.D. Jatti’s term ended. Distinguishing between acting capacities and formal elected tenures, as detailed in Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, is vital to avoid such chronological pitfalls.