Will Harivansh Secure Another Term as Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha?
Upcoming Election for Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha
New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha is set to conduct elections for the deputy chairman position on April 17, with the ruling NDA expected to advocate for Harivansh's re-election.
The vacancy arose following the conclusion of Harivansh's term on April 9. He was subsequently nominated to the Upper House by President Droupadi Murmu and took his oath on April 10.
Union Minister and BJP leader J P Nadda, who also serves as the leader of the house in Rajya Sabha, has reportedly engaged in discussions with various party leaders regarding Harivansh's re-election, aiming to achieve a broad consensus.
However, opposition parties including Congress, TMC, and the Left have expressed concerns over the ruling party's urgency to fill the deputy chairman role, especially when the deputy speaker position in the Lok Sabha has remained vacant since 2019.
An official statement confirmed that the election for the deputy chairman will take place on April 17 at 11 AM.
According to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, "The office of the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha having fallen vacant. The Chairman has, under rule 7 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), fixed Friday, the 17 of April, 2026, as the date for holding the election to the said office of the Deputy Chairman."
The election is scheduled to occur at 11:00 AM, immediately following the laying of papers and reports on that day.
Members are allowed to submit notices of motions for the deputy chairman election until 12 noon on Thursday, April 16, 2026.
Additionally, members who have yet to take their oaths will do so on April 16 during a special session, where amendments to the Women’s Reservation Act will also be discussed.
Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh accused the government of attempting to "bulldoze" the appointment of the deputy chairman in the Rajya Sabha.
He remarked, "A government that has not appointed a Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha for seven years is now rushing to appoint a Deputy Chairman in the Rajya Sabha in less than four days."
Trinamool Congress Leader Derek O’Brien criticized the BJP for scheduling the election on April 17, suggesting that MPs are preoccupied with state elections, questioning the urgency.
O’Brien stated, "Mocking Parliament Again," in a post on X, highlighting that the Deputy Speaker position in the Lok Sabha has been vacant since 2019, while the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman position has only been vacant for 10 days.
CPI leader P Sandosh also challenged the government, urging the BJP to demonstrate similar enthusiasm in filling the long-vacant Deputy Speaker position in the Lok Sabha.
Harivansh, who has been elected twice to the Rajya Sabha as a JD(U) candidate from Bihar, has served as deputy chairman for two terms and has dealt with numerous contentious issues in the Upper House.