DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF RAJYA SABHA

1. Constitutional Status:

• Article 89: The Rajya Sabha chooses one of its members to be the Deputy Chairman.

• Membership: Unlike the Chairman (Vice-President), the Deputy Chairman must be a member of the House.

• 2026 Milestone: Harivansh Narayan Singh became the first Nominated Member to be re-elected for a third consecutive term (April 2026), breaking traditional conventions.

2. Powers and Functions:

• Independent Office: The Deputy Chairman is not subordinate to the Chairman. He is directly responsible to the Rajya Sabha.

• Presiding Duties: He performs the duties of the Chairman’s office when:

  1. The office of the Chairman is vacant.

  2. The Vice-President acts as the President of India.

  3. The Chairman is absent from the sitting of the House.

• Voting: While presiding, he cannot vote in the first instance but exercises a Casting Vote in the case of a tie.

3. Vacation, Resignation, and Removal (Art. 90):

The office of the Deputy Chairman becomes vacant in three cases:

1. Ceasing Membership: If he ceases to be a member of the Rajya Sabha.

2. Resignation: He submits his resignation in writing to the Chairman.

3. Removal: He can be removed by a resolution passed by a Majority of all the then members of the Rajya Sabha (Effective Majority).

4. Removal Process & Restrictions (Art. 92);

• Notice: A 14-day advance notice must be given before moving the resolution.

• Right to Speak: When a resolution for his removal is being considered, he cannot preside, but he has the right to be present, speak, and vote as an ordinary member (but not a casting vote).

5. Salary and Allowances:

• Fixed by Parliament and charged on the Consolidated Fund of India.

• Like the Chairman, his salary is not subject to the annual vote of Parliament, ensuring independence.

6. Comparison: Chairman vs. Deputy Chairman

Feature	Chairman (RS)	Deputy Chairman (RS)
Membership	Ex-Officio (Not a member)	Must be a member
Election	Both Houses (LS + RS)	Rajya Sabha members only
Resignation	To the President	To the Chairman
Removal	Removed as Vice-President	Removed by RS Resolution
Voting (in Chair)	Casting Vote only	Casting Vote only

 CHAIRMAN OF RAJYA SABHA:

1. Constitutional Status (Ex-Officio Role):

• Article 64 & 89: The Vice-President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

• Unique Feature: He is not a member of the House, but he presides over it.

• Election: He is elected by an electoral college consisting of members of both Houses of Parliament (LS + RS), including nominated members.

2. Powers and Functions:

The Chairman’s powers are similar to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, with minor differences:

• Presiding Officer: He maintains order and decorum in the House and adjourns or suspends the sitting in case of no quorum.

• Interpretation: He is the final interpreter of the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure within the House.

• Casting Vote: He does not vote in the first instance. However, he can exercise a casting vote in the case of a tie.

• Disqualification: He decides on the question of disqualification of a member of the Rajya Sabha under the Tenth Schedule (Anti-Defection Law).

3. Difference: Chairman vs. Speaker:

While their presiding powers are similar, the Chairman has two major limitations compared to the Speaker:

1. Money Bills: The Chairman cannot decide whether a bill is a Money Bill; that power rests solely with the Speaker of Lok Sabha.

2. Joint Sittings: The Speaker of Lok Sabha presides over a joint sitting of both Houses. The Chairman can only do so if the Speaker and Deputy Speaker are both absent.

4. Removal and Vacancy (Art. 90 & 92):

• Removal: Since he is the Vice-President, he can only be removed from his office as Vice-President.

• Process: A resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the Rajya Sabha (Effective Majority) and agreed to by the Lok Sabha.

• Restriction: While a resolution for his removal is under consideration, he cannot preside over the House, though he may be present and speak.

5. Salary and Allowances:

• The Chairman’s salary is charged on the Consolidated Fund of India (it is not subject to the annual vote of Parliament).

• Note: He does not receive any salary as the Vice-President; he receives a salary specifically in his capacity as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.