New Delhi, July 21: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s abrupt resignation on Monday evening has opened the contest for his successor.

With the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) enjoying a majority in the electorate, which includes the members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, taken by surprise by Dhankhar’s decision to quit, it is likely to consider the probable names in the coming days.

One of the governors, as Dhankhar was of West Bengal before taking the vice president’s office, or a seasoned organisational leader or one of the Union ministers — the BJP has a large pool of leaders to choose from for the position.

Dhankhar’s predecessor was M Venkaiah Naidu, a former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president who was in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was tapped by the party for the key constitutional position in 2017.

“We are still processing it. But I believe the party will choose someone who is a solid choice and is non-controversial,” a BJP leader said, suggesting that a veteran party hand might be the preferred option.

Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh, a Janata Dal (United) MP, is also being seen as a probable as he has been serving in the position since 2020 and enjoys the government’s trust.

Dhankhar’s three-year tenure was marked by his frequent run-ins with opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha but his voluble commentary, often on contentious issues, left the government less than amused at times.

In a sudden move, Dhankhar resigned from his post on Monday evening, citing medical reasons.

He has sent his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu and said he is stepping down with immediate effect.

“To prioritise health care and abide by medical advice, I hereby resign as Vice President of India, effective immediately, in accordance with Article 67(a) of the Constitution,” Dhankhar said in his letter to the president.

Dhankhar, 74, assumed office in August 2022 and his tenure was till 2027.

He was also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha and his resignation came on the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament.

Dhankhar’s abrupt resignation followed a day of surprising developments in the Rajya Sabha for the government, as an opposition-sponsored notice for a motion to remove Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma was submitted to him and he mentioned it in the House.

The development came as a jolt to the ruling alliance, which had sponsored a similar notice in the Lok Sabha and taken the opposition on board.

Dhankhar was the NDA’s candidate in the election for the vice president, who is also the ex-officio Chair of the Rajya Sabha, in 2022.

New Delhi, July 21: Vice President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday formally resigned from his post, citing health concerns and medical advice as the reason behind his decision.

In a letter addressed to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankhar announced that his resignation takes immediate effect under Article 67(a) of the Constitution of India.

In his emotional farewell note, Dhankhar expressed deep gratitude to the President for her “unwavering support and the soothing, wonderful working relationship” shared during his tenure. He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Council of Ministers, calling their support “invaluable” and stating that he had learned immensely during his time in office.

“The warmth, trust, and affection I have received from all the Hon’ble Members of Parliament would ever be cherished and embedded in my memory,” Dhankhar wrote, reflecting on his journey in public service.

Calling it a privilege to have witnessed India’s exponential growth and transformative development, Dhankhar said he leaves the office with pride in Bharat’s global rise and unwavering confidence in the nation’s future. He also thanked the Parliament for the experiences and insights gained as Vice President, terming it a “true honor” to have served during this pivotal period in India’s history.

Dhankhar signed off his resignation with “deepest respect and gratitude,” marking the end of his tenure in one of the country’s highest constitutional posts.

New Delhi, July 21: Children who own a smartphone before the age of 13 are more likely to experience poorer mental health and well-being in early adulthood, according to a global study of more than 100,000 young people released on Monday.

The study, published in the Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, found that 18- to 24-year-olds who had received their first smartphone at age 12 or younger were more likely to report suicidal thoughts, aggression, detachment from reality, poorer emotional regulation, and low self-worth.

Smartphones give early social media access and increase the risks of cyberbullying, disrupted sleep, and poor family relationships by adulthood, the team said.

“Our data indicates that early smartphone ownership — and the social media access it often brings — is linked with a profound shift in mental health and well-being in early adulthood,” said lead author neuroscientist Dr. Tara Thiagarajan, the founder and Chief Scientist of US-based Sapien Labs.

Thiagarajan called for urgent action to protect the mental health of future generations, as their symptoms are not the traditional depression and anxiety, and can be missed by studies using standard screening procedures.

The researchers urged policymakers to adopt a precautionary approach, similar to regulations on alcohol and tobacco, by restricting smartphone access for under-13s. They also called for mandating digital literacy education and enforcing corporate accountability.

In recent years, several countries have banned or restricted the use of cell phones in institutions, including France, the Netherlands, Italy, and New Zealand. Several states in the US have also passed legislation requiring schools to have policies that at least limit access to smartphones for children.

For the study, the team at Sapiens mapped the data on 100,000 young adults using the Mind Health Quotient (MHQ) — a self-assessment tool that measures social, emotional, cognitive, and physical well-being — to generate an overall mental health score.

Young adults who received their first smartphone before age 13 had lower MHQ scores, with scores progressively declining the younger the age of first ownership.

Younger ownership was also linked with diminished self-image, self-worth, and confidence, and emotional resilience among females, and lower stability, calmness, self-worth, and empathy among males.

“Our evidence suggests that childhood smartphone ownership, an early gateway into AI-powered digital environments, is profoundly diminishing mental health and well-being in adulthood, with deep consequences for individual agency and societal flourishing,” Thiagarajan said.