01 Aug 2025 : 8 suggestions for the Vice President of India — whoever that may be

Editorial 1: Derek O’Brien writes: 8 suggestions for the Vice President of India — whoever that may be

Context:

Jagdeep Dhankar is only the third Vice-President in India’s history to resign before completing his term, after V.V. Giri and R. Venkataraman.

Introduction

• There is a vacant seat to be filled. The chair of India’s second-highest constitutional office will have a new occupant soon. The Vice President of India, as we learnt in civics books in school, chairs the Council of States. Before the monsoon recedes, we will have a new full-time presiding officer seated in the Rajya Sabha.  

Key Responsibilities and Reforms for the Rajya Sabha Chairperson

• Take ‘Notice’ of the Opposition: Submitting notices for discussions is a key way for Opposition MPs to hold the government accountable. However, accepted notices in Rajya Sabha dropped from 110 (2009–2016) to just 36 (2017–2024).
  • Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha states that a member may ask the Chair to suspend the business listed for the day, and instead take up a discussion on an issue of urgent national importance.
• Stop mass suspension of MPs: In December 2023, 146 MPs were suspended from Parliament, 100 of these were from the Lok Sabha. A dubious record. For context, during the 10 years of UPA I and UPA II, a total of 50 MPs were suspended.
• Choosing Vice Chairs: The Chairperson has the prerogative to nominate six members as Vice Chair to preside over the Rajya Sabha in the absence of the Chair or Deputy Chair. In the last two years, about 30 MPs were included in the panel to perform this duty. This must not be looked at as a perk. Nor can it be a game of musical chairs. Two suggestions here:
  • Only those MPs with considerable experience should be chosen to perform this duty.
  • The political party they are in needs to be (informally) consulted before names are announced.
• Concerns over Transparency in Parliamentary Proceedings: Visual coverage of Opposition protests inside Parliament is often excluded from Sansad TV broadcasts, which focus primarily on the Treasury Benches. This selective representation raises concerns about transparency, impartiality of public broadcasting, and the democratic right of the Opposition to dissent within the legislature.
• Ensure more Bills are sent for scrutiny: When a Bill is referred to a parliamentary committee, it goes through critical examination with stakeholders and experts being consulted. This scrutiny often helps improve the quality of legislation. In the 14th Lok Sabha (2004-09), six out of 10 bills were sent to various committees for scrutiny. In the 15th Lok Sabha, it was seven out of 10. In the 16th Lok Sabha this number fell to around three out of ten. In the 17th Lok Sabha (2019-24), only two out of 10 Bills were examined by a parliamentary committee.
• Let MPs exercise constitutional rights: When a bill is being passed in Parliament, each Member can move amendments to the Bill. When the amendments are being moved in the House, the Member has an absolute right to ask for “division” (electronic voting). In the last few years, there are multiple examples of members being denied this right. Several MPs, including your columnist, asked for division during the passing of the contentious farm bills. The right was denied.
• Must accept points of order: A point of order can be raised by any member when he/she feels that there has been a transgression of any rule in the House which the Chair has not taken cognisance of. The rules state that whenever such instances occur, members “can and should” bring such instances to the notice of the Chair. Raising a point of order is a legitimate parliamentary tactic. The Chair cannot, and must not, look away.

Conclusion

As the Vice President also serves as the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, the role demands impartiality, respect for parliamentary conventions, and a commitment to democratic values. The new occupant must rise above partisanship, ensure fair proceedings, uphold the rights of all Members, and strengthen institutional credibility through transparency, dialogue, and procedural integrity.