Jagdeep Dhankhar to Vacate Vice President’s Residence Soon, Turns Down Meeting Requests from Opposition: Report

Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned as Vice President on Monday, is preparing to vacate the Vice President Enclave following his unexpected decision to step down. According to sources cited by India Today, Dhankhar began packing on Monday night after submitting his resignation letter to President Droupadi Murmu, citing health concerns. The President accepted his resignation on Tuesday.

The abrupt resignation caught both the ruling party and the opposition off guard, sparking speculation about whether health was the only reason behind his departure.

Following the news, several opposition leaders—including Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut and NCP (SP)'s Sharad Pawar—sought meetings with Dhankhar on Tuesday, but their requests were declined.

Dhankhar, 74, moved into the newly-built Vice President Enclave on Church Road, near Parliament, in April last year. He has lived there for about 15 months. Though his term was set to end in 2027, he will now leave the residence much earlier than expected. The enclave, part of the Central Vista redevelopment project, serves as both the residence and office for the Vice President.

Despite stepping down, Dhankhar remains entitled to official housing. A senior official from the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said he would be allotted a Type VIII bungalow—accommodation typically reserved for senior Union ministers or presidents of national political parties—in Lutyens’ Delhi or a similar area.