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Rajya Sabha elects Harivansh Deputy Chairman for third consecutive term

April 17, 2026 4 min read Polity & Governance GS Paper 2
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What Happened

  • Harivansh Narayan Singh was elected Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha on April 17, 2026, for an unprecedented third consecutive term, running unopposed.
  • The motion was moved by Leader of the House J.P. Nadda; the Opposition declined to field a rival candidate, with five motions received in favour of Harivansh and none from the Opposition by the noon deadline.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Opposition Leader Mallikarjun Kharge both congratulated him; Kharge used the occasion to flag the long-standing vacancy of the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker post.
  • Harivansh was recently re-nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu as a nominated member in the field of journalism — the third such nomination for him.

Static Topic Bridges

Article 89 — Election of the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman

Article 89 of the Constitution, under Part V (The Union), Chapter II (Parliament), provides for the offices of Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Council of States. Clause (2) mandates that the Rajya Sabha shall, as soon as may be, choose one of its members to be the Deputy Chairman.

  • The Deputy Chairman is elected by members of the Rajya Sabha from among themselves — the only presiding officer position chosen exclusively by Upper House members.
  • The election is governed by rules made by the Rajya Sabha itself; no time limit is prescribed, so a vacancy may persist.
  • Unlike the Speaker/Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha continues to be a member of the House with full voting rights.

Connection to this news: Harivansh's election follows Article 89(2) — the Rajya Sabha chose him from among its members after his continued membership was secured through re-nomination.

Article 90 — Vacation of Office and Removal of Deputy Chairman

Article 90 specifies that the Deputy Chairman vacates office when he ceases to be a member of the Rajya Sabha, may resign in writing to the Chairman, or may be removed by a resolution passed by a majority of all the then members of the Rajya Sabha (with 14 days' advance notice).

  • Removal requires a resolution supported by a majority of all current members — an effective majority, not just those present and voting.
  • The 14-day prior notice requirement gives the incumbent an opportunity to address the House before any removal vote.
  • The Deputy Chairman presides over the House in the absence of the Chairman (Vice President) and exercises identical powers when doing so.

Connection to this news: Harivansh's earlier terms ended naturally when his nominated membership lapsed. His re-nomination by the President each time restored his eligibility, enabling three consecutive election victories.

Nominated Members of Rajya Sabha — Constitutional Basis

Under Article 80(1)(a) and Article 80(3), the President nominates 12 members to the Rajya Sabha — persons having special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art, and social service. Journalism is treated as a qualifying field under the "social service/art" category.

  • Nominated members enjoy full rights of membership including the right to vote and to be elected to presiding officer positions.
  • Harivansh's election as Deputy Chairman in 2018 was a constitutional first — the first nominated member ever elected to that post.
  • Nominated members serve a six-year term like elected members; re-nomination is at the President's discretion and has no explicit constitutional cap.

Connection to this news: Harivansh's unique status as a nominated member makes his three consecutive terms historically significant and constitutionally noteworthy.

Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Vacancy — A Parallel Issue

By convention, if the Speaker of the Lok Sabha is from the ruling alliance, the Deputy Speaker post is offered to the principal Opposition. The Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha is elected under Article 93.

  • The Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker post has remained vacant since the dissolution of the 17th Lok Sabha in 2024; the 18th Lok Sabha (elected May 2024) has not yet elected a Deputy Speaker.
  • The Constitution does not specify a deadline for the election; the Supreme Court has expressed concern over prolonged vacancy.
  • Unlike the Rajya Sabha's Deputy Chairman, the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker does not have voting rights when presiding.

Connection to this news: Opposition Leader Kharge, while congratulating Harivansh, highlighted the contrast — the Rajya Sabha has a duly elected Deputy Chairman while the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker seat continues to be vacant.

Key Facts & Data

  • Harivansh Narayan Singh: born June 30, 1956, from Ballia district, Uttar Pradesh; veteran Hindi journalist, former editor of Prabhat Khabar.
  • First nominated member of the Rajya Sabha to be elected Deputy Chairman (first achieved in 2018).
  • First person since Najma Heptulla (who last won in 2004) to secure a third term as Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman.
  • First non-Congress politician to be re-elected to the post for a third time.
  • Re-nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Murmu in April 2026 — his third consecutive nomination as a member representing journalism.
  • Lok Sabha has been without a Deputy Speaker since the 17th Lok Sabha ended in 2024.