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Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Election Set for April 17, Harivansh Renominated

The Rajya Sabha will elect its new Deputy Chairman on April 17, with the ruling NDA renominating Harivansh for the post. The Opposition is expected to field a consensus candidate, setting up a contest that reflects current political alignments. The election occurs during a special Parliament session convened to discuss women's reservation and delimitation bills. The process requires the winning candidate to secure a simple majority of members present and voting.

Key Points: Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Election April 17: Key Contest

  • Election on April 17 at 11 AM
  • NDA renominates Harivansh
  • Opposition to field candidate
  • Requires simple majority
  • Coincides with special Parliament session
2 min read

Rajya Sabha to elect new Deputy Chairman on April 17​

Rajya Sabha to elect Deputy Chairman on April 17. NDA renominates Harivansh, Opposition plans consensus candidate amid Parliament session.

"The Opposition is likely to field a consensus candidate, setting the stage for a contest - Parliamentary Report"

New Delhi, April 13

The Rajya Sabha will elect its new Deputy Chairman on Friday, April 17, where the ruling National Democratic Alliance is expected to renominate Harivansh for another term. ​

The Opposition is likely to field a consensus candidate, setting the stage for a contest that reflects the current political climate and Parliament's alignments.​

The post was vacant after Harivansh's tenure ended on April 9. President Droupadi Murmu nominated him as a member of the Upper House after a vacancy was created following the retirement of former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi. ​

Harivansh took the oath on April 10.​

The Deputy Chairman presides over Rajya Sabha sessions in the absence of the Chairman, who is the Vice President of India. ​

Traditionally, the role demands impartiality in conducting debates and ensuring the smooth functioning of the House. ​

The election process is presided over by the Chairman, who is the Vice President. P. Radhakrishnan.​

To be elected Vice Chairman of the Upper House, a candidate must secure a simple majority of the members present and voting. ​

According to a Parliamentary Bulletin, the election will take place at 11 a.m., soon after the laying of papers in the Rajya Sabha.​

Incidentally, a three-day special session of Parliament has been convened, beginning Thursday, April 16, to discuss and pass the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, and a Delimitation Bill, to implement the one-third reservation for women legislators. ​

Following the delimitation exercise, the number of seats in the Lok Sabha may increase from 543 to 816.​

The Covid pandemic and its aftermath delayed the Census, which was originally scheduled for 2021. Now, the Centre plans to proceed with the 2011 Census data for delimitation and implementation of one-third reservation for women legislators.​

The National Democratic Alliance has already reached out to leaders across parties to secure support for its candidate. ​

However, Opposition parties are expected to field their own candidate, signalling a contest rather than a consensus.​

Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien questioned the timing of the election, arguing that the schedule clashed with state elections in Tamil Nadu on April 23 and in West Bengal on April 23 and 29.​

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul R
The opposition should put up a strong candidate. A healthy contest is good for democracy. The Deputy Chairman's role requires absolute impartiality, and that should be the only criteria, not political loyalty.
S
Sarah B
Interesting to see all this happening alongside the women's reservation bill session. The delimitation leading to 816 Lok Sabha seats is a massive change! Hope the process is transparent and fair.
V
Vikram M
Derek O'Brien has a point about the timing clashing with state elections. Couldn't this have been scheduled for after April 29? It feels like unnecessary political maneuvering when important state issues are at stake.
A
Aman W
The Deputy Chairman's election is important, but the bigger news is the delimitation and women's reservation. Using 2011 census data seems problematic after so many years. Population dynamics have changed significantly.
K
Kavya N
Hope whoever wins focuses on maintaining the decorum of the House. We've seen too much disruption in recent sessions. The Deputy Chairman must ensure debates are productive, not just shouting matches.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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