Rajya Sabha Chairman creates an all women panel of Vice Chairpersons for a day

In a symbolic and historic move, the Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar reconstituted the panel of the Vice-Chairpersons on 21 September 2023 for a day. On 21 September, the Rajya Sabha took up for discussion the 128th constitutional amendment bill 2023, named Nari Shakti Vandan Vidheyak Bill 2023.

The Nari Shakti Vandan Vidheyak Bill, 2023, seeks to reserve one -third seats for women in the Lok Sabha and in all the state legislative assemblies.

To emphasise the historic occasion, the Rajya Sabha chairman constituted an all-women 13-member panel of Vice-Chairperson only for 21st September 2023. 

Later the bill was passed by the Rajya sabha. It has already been passed by the Lok Sabha .

Members of the all-women panel member for a day  

P. T. Usha, S. Phangnon Konyak ,Jaya Bachchan , Saroj Pandey, Rajani Ashokrao Patil, Dr. Fauzia Khan , Dola Sen, Indu Bala Goswami, Dr. Kanimozhi, Kavita Patidar,Mahua Maji ,Dr. Kalpana Saini and Shrimati Sulata Deo.

Panel of Vice-Chairperson and their functions 

Article 64 of the constitution says that the Vice President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. His term of office is 5 years. He presides over the functioning of the House and performs other constitutional duties.

In his absence, the duties of the Chairman are performed by the Deputy -Chairman. The Deputy Chairman is elected by the members of the Rajya Sabha amongst themselves for a period of six years. 

In case neither the Chairman nor the Deputy Chairman is available, then the function of the Chairman is performed by one of the members of the panel of Vice-Chairpersons.

The 8-member panel of the Vice-Chairpersons is appointed by the Chairman from the members of Rajya Sabha for a period of one year.

About Rajya Sabha 

• The Indian Parliament is bicameral, and it consists of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
• Rajya Sabha is also called the Upper House or the House of the Elders.
• It is a permanent house, and it cannot be dissolved like Lok Sabha.
• The Rajya Sabha was constituted on 3 April 1952.
• The first meeting of the Rajya Sabha was held on 13 May 1952.
• The maximum strength of the Rajya Sabha is 250 Members, of which 238 are elected and 12 are nominated by the President of India.
• Only the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry are represented in the Rajya Sabha, as only they have legislative Assemblies.
• When the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will have an elected legislative assembly, it will send 4 members to the Rajya Sabha. 
• The term of a member is six years, but a member elected in a bye-election serves for the remainder of the term of the vacancy caused.
• One-third of the members retire after every two years.