Introduction
- Article 89 deals with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha).
- Article 89(2) specifically concerns the office of the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
Exact constitutional text
- Article 89(2) states:
“The Council of States shall, as soon as may be, choose a member of the Council to be Deputy Chairman thereof and, so often as the office of Deputy Chairman becomes vacant, the Council shall choose another member to be Deputy Chairman thereof.”
- This means the Rajya Sabha must elect one of its own members as Deputy Chairman.
- Whenever that office falls vacant, the Rajya Sabha must again choose another member for the post.
Key points in Article 89(2)
- The Deputy Chairman must be a member of the Rajya Sabha.
- The Council of States must choose the Deputy Chairman “as soon as may be”, meaning the Constitution expects the post to be filled without undue delay. This phrase indicates promptness, though it does not set a fixed number of days.
- If the office becomes vacant, the Rajya Sabha must elect another member.
Relation with Article 89(1)
- Article 89(1) says the Vice-President of India is the ex officio Chairman of the Council of States.
- Article 89(2) complements this by providing for a Deputy Chairman chosen from among Rajya Sabha members.
Why it is important
- This provision ensures that the Rajya Sabha always has an internal presiding authority apart from the Vice-President.
- It supports continuity in the functioning of the House when the Chairman is absent or when the office needs to be supported by an elected member of the House. This is read together with Article 91, which deals with performance of the Chairman’s duties.
Related provisions
- Article 90 deals with:
- vacation
- resignation
- removal
of the Deputy Chairman.
- Article 91 deals with who performs the duties of the Chairman when the Chairman is absent or the office is vacant..
Conclusion
- Article 89(2) provides the constitutional basis for electing the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. Its importance lies in ensuring institutional continuity and internal parliamentary functioning within the Council of States.
