Chairman of Rajya Sabha

In News

Recently, Rajya Sabha welcomed its new Chairman, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Chairman of Rajya Sabha

• Vice-President of India is ex-officio Chairman of the Council of States i.e., Rajya Sabha.
• Powers and Functions:
  • As Presiding Officer of the House
  • Powers and Duties of the Chairman, as laid down by the Constitution of India
  • As the Principal Spokesman of the House
  • Powers Conferred on the Chairman under the Rules of Procedure of the Rajya Sabha
  • Right of the Chairman to interpret the Constitution and Rules
  • Role in the Deliberations of the House
  • Casting of Vote by the Chairman
• Salaries and allowances:
  • Fixed by the Parliament by law.
  • Specified in the Second Schedule. 

About Rajya Sabha 

• Rajya Sabha is a permanent House and is not subject to dissolution.
• To ensure continuity, one-third of its members retire after every second year.
• The House also elects a Deputy Chairman from among its members. 
• Besides, there is also a panel of “Vice Chairmen” in the Rajya Sabha. 
• The Fourth Schedule to the Constitution provides for allocation of Rajya Sabha seats to the states and Union Territories, on the basis of the population of each state. 
• Of 245 members, 12 are nominated by the President and 233 are representatives of the States and Union territories of Delhi and Puducherry. 

Source: IE