UPSC Daily Current Affairs-26 July -2025/Secretary General of Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha

Why in News ? The Election Commission has  appointed Rajya Sabha Secretary General P C Mody as the returning officer for the election to the office of the vice president.

The Secretary General is the topmost administrative officer and procedural advisor to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha or the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (Vice-President of India). The position is comparable to a Cabinet Secretary in terms of rank and status within the respective House.

Secretary General of Rajya Sabha:

Position:

• Heads the Rajya Sabha Secretariat
• Functions under the control of the Chairman of Rajya Sabha (Vice-President of India)

Key Functions:

• Aids the Chairman in conducting the business of the Rajya Sabha
• Advises on parliamentary rules, precedents, and practices
• Responsible for scheduling and managing sessions of Rajya Sabha
• Supervises the publication of the Rajya Sabha debates, questions, and bills
• Controls administrative functioning of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat

Legal Authority:

• Functions under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha

Additional Role:

• Typically appointed as the Returning Officer for Vice-Presidential Elections

Appointment & Tenure:

• Appointed by the Speaker of Lok Sabha or Chairman of Rajya Sabha
• No fixed tenure; generally held by senior-most officers of the respective secretariat
• Appointment is based on seniority, experience, and expertise in parliamentary procedures
• Not directly under the control of the executive/government, ensuring parliamentary independence

About Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952:

Why Enacted:

This Act was enacted to provide a statutory framework for conducting elections to the offices of the President and Vice-President of India, as required by Articles 54, 55, and 66 of the Constitution.

Key Provisions of the Act:

Conduct of Elections:

• The elections to fill vacancies in the offices of the President or Vice-President must be held in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

Authority to Conduct Elections:

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) is the competent authority to conduct these elections. It is empowered to appoint Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) for this purpose. (Section 10)

Electoral College:

• For the President: Elected members of the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Legislative Assemblies.
• For the Vice-President: All elected and nominated members of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Nomination Procedure:

• The Act lays down rules for nomination. For the Presidential election, a candidate must be proposed by at least 20 electors and seconded by another 20. A security deposit (currently Rs 15,000) must be submitted with the nomination paper. (Sections 5 to 7)

Scrutiny and Withdrawal of Nominations:

• The Returning Officer is responsible for scrutinizing nomination papers. Candidates can withdraw their candidature within the notified time. (Sections 7 and 9)

Voting Process:

• Voting is conducted by secret ballot. The system used is proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (STV). This applies to both elections. (Section 17)

Counting of Votes and Declaration of Results:

• The Returning Officer counts the votes and declares the result. The ECI then publishes the elected candidate’s name in the Official Gazette. (Sections 18 to 20)

Disputes Regarding Elections:

• Any dispute relating to the election of the President or Vice-President can only be challenged before the Supreme Court. The petition must be filed within 30 days of the declaration of the result. (Section 14)

Related Constitutional Provisions:

Article 54: Election of President
Article 55: Manner of election of President
Article 66: Election of Vice-President
Article 71: Matters relating to disputes in Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections