• Election for deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha to be held since the post has been lying vacant.

Vacancy of the Post of Deputy Chairman:

• The Deputy Chairman is elected by the Rajya Sabha itself from amongst its members.
• Whenever the office of the Deputy Chairman falls vacant, the Rajya Sabha elects another member to fill the vacancy.
• The Deputy Chairman vacates his office in any of the following three cases:
  1. if he ceases to be a member of the Rajya Sabha;
  2. if he resigns by writing to the Chairman;
  3. if he is removed by a resolution.

Election Procedure:

• As the date so fixed by chairman, any member may give notice in writing addressed to the Secretary-General of a motion that another member be chosen as the Deputy Chairman of the Council, and the notice shall be seconded by a third member and shall be accompanied by a statement by the member whose name is proposed in the notice that he is willing to serve as Deputy Chairman if elected.
• A member in whose name a motion stands in the list of business may, when called, move the motion or not move the motion the motions which have been moved and duly seconded shall be put one by one in the order in which they have been moved and decided if necessary by division.
• If any motion is carried, the person presiding shall, without putting later motions, declare that the member proposed in the motion which has been carried, has been chosen as the Deputy Chairman of the Council.

Deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha:

• The Deputy Chairman performs the duties of the Chairman’s office when it is vacant or when the Vice-President acts as President or discharges the functions of the President.
• He also acts as the Chairman when the vice president is absent from the sitting of the House.
• In both the cases, he has all the powers of the Chairman.
• It should be emphasised here that the Deputy Chairman is not subordinate to the Chairman. He is directly responsible to the Rajya Sabha.
• Like the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman, while presiding over the House, cannot vote in the first instance, he can only exercise a casting vote in the case of a tie.

When Chairman Presides over the House:

• At this situation, the Deputy Chairman is like any other ordinary member of the House.
• He can speak in the House, participate in its proceedings and vote on any question before the House.

Salary and Allowances:

• Like the Chairman, the Deputy Chairman is also entitled to a regular salary and allowance.
• They are fixed by Parliament and are charged on the Consolidated Fund of India.

Removal:

• A resolution passed by an absolute majority of the house.
• Such a resolution can be moved only after giving 14 days’ advance notice.
• Further, when a resolution for the removal of the Deputy Chairman is under consideration of the House, he cannot preside over a sitting of the House, though he may be present.