Harivansh Set for Unopposed Re-election as Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman; Opposition to Boycott Poll

New Delhi — Nominated Rajya Sabha member is set to be re-elected unopposed as the Deputy Chairman of the Upper House, with no candidate filed by the Opposition before the nomination deadline on Thursday.

According to parliamentary sources, the deadline for filing nominations expired at noon, and no Opposition-backed proposal was submitted. As a result, Harivansh’s election is now considered a foregone conclusion, marking his third consecutive term in the position.

Harivansh, who was sworn in as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha on April 10, filed his nomination for the Deputy Chairman’s post ahead of the election scheduled for Friday. His candidature has been backed by multiple proposals from members of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Among the proposers, Leader of the House moved the primary motion, which was seconded by BJP member S. Phangnon Konyak. Additional proposals were submitted by several NDA leaders, including , , , and others, all endorsing Harivansh for the post.

Election Procedure

As per established parliamentary convention, the motions will be introduced sequentially in the House on Friday. Once any one motion is adopted—most likely the first, proposed by Nadda and supported by Konyak—the remaining motions will lapse without requiring a vote. The motion is expected to pass by voice vote, following which the Chair will formally declare Harivansh elected as Deputy Chairman.

Subsequently, in keeping with tradition, Harivansh will be escorted to the Chair by representatives from both the treasury benches and the Opposition.

Opposition Announces Boycott

Meanwhile, the Opposition has announced its decision to boycott the election. Senior Congress leader criticised the government, alleging a disregard for parliamentary conventions.

In a statement, Ramesh outlined three key reasons behind the boycott. First, he pointed to the government’s failure to appoint a Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha for the past seven years, calling it unprecedented. Second, he questioned the nomination of Harivansh to the Rajya Sabha just a day after the conclusion of his previous term, noting that nominated members have traditionally not been considered for the Deputy Chairman’s role. Third, he argued that the process lacked meaningful consultation with Opposition parties.

Ramesh clarified that the boycott was intended as a protest against the government’s approach and was not a reflection of any personal disrespect toward Harivansh.