If the President of India is not present who will act as President of India?
VerifiedAnswer: Chief Justice of India(if Vice President is not available)
Explanation:
When the President of India is temporarily absent or unable to perform their duties, the Indian Constitution provides a clear succession mechanism to ensure continuity in governance. This arrangement is crucial for maintaining the smooth functioning of the country's administrative and constitutional processes.
The primary person who steps in to act as President is the Vice President of India. This is the first line of succession as outlined in Article 65 of the Indian Constitution. The Vice President automatically assumes the role of Acting President whenever the President is temporarily unavailable due to illness, travel, or any other circumstances that prevent them from discharging their constitutional duties.
However, there are situations when even the Vice President may not be available to perform this role. In such cases, Article 65 of the Constitution provides for a second line of succession. When both the President and Vice President are unavailable, the responsibility falls upon the Chief Justice of India. This ensures that there is never a vacuum in the highest constitutional office of the country.
The situations where the Chief Justice of India might need to act as President include:
• When the President has died, resigned, or been removed from office, and the Vice President is also unavailable • During situations where both the President and Vice President are traveling abroad simultaneously • If the Vice President is ill or incapacitated when the President is also unable to perform duties • In case of any constitutional crisis where both offices are temporarily vacant
It's important to understand that when the Chief Justice acts as President, they continue to hold their judicial position simultaneously. This dual role is temporary and exists only until either the President or Vice President becomes available again, or until a new President is elected in case of a permanent vacancy.
The Acting President, whether it's the Vice President or the Chief Justice of India, enjoys all the powers and privileges of the President during their tenure. They can perform all constitutional functions including giving assent to bills, appointing governors, and exercising executive powers. However, they cannot dissolve the Lok Sabha unless advised by the Council of Ministers.
This well-structured succession system reflects the wisdom of India's constitutional framers, who ensured that the country would never face a leadership vacuum at the highest level. The arrangement maintains the dignity of the office while providing practical solutions for governance continuity, making it a robust feature of India's democratic framework.
