Impeachment of US President | 19 Dec 2019

Why in News

Donald Trump has become the third US President in history to be impeached by the House of Representatives. The trial will now start in the Senate.

  • The two prior impeachments were: Andrew Johnson (1868) and Bill Clinton (1998).
  • The legislature of the United States of America i.e. Congress of the United States consists of two houses: the Senate, in which each state, regardless of its size, is represented by two senators, and the House of Representatives, to which members are elected on the basis of population.
  • The US Constitution states that the President can be removed for conviction of treason, bribery, or other high crimes or misdemeanour".
    • In India, the President can be removed only for ‘violation of the Constitution’ and the Constitution does not define the meaning of the phrase ‘violation of the Constitution’.

Source: ToI