New Delhi, April 16 -- Nominated member Harivansh is likely to be elected Rajya Sabha deputy chairman as five notices have been received in his favour and the opposition has not given any notice proposing its candidate.
The election for the post of deputy chairman will take place at 11 AM on Friday.
The Office of the Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha, had fallen vacant after the term of Harivansh ended on April 9 and Chairman C P Radhakrishnan has under Rule 7 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), fixed Friday as the date for holding the election.
The last date and time for receipt of notices of motions for election was 12 noon on Thursday. Sources said five notices of motions have been received in favour of Harivansh for electing him to the post and none by the Opposition. The Opposition has decided to boycott the election as a mark of protest against the Modi government not appointing a deputy speaker in Lok Sabha for seven years.
While leader of the house J P Nadda moved the first motion, which was seconded by S Phangnon Konyak, the second one was moved by BJP president Nitin Nabin and was seconded by BJP MP Brij Lal.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has given another notice, which was seconded by BJP MP Surendra Singh Nagar and JDU MP and working president Sanjay Kumar Jha has also moved a notice which was seconded by RLM MP Upendra Kushwaha.
Another notice has been given by RLD MP and Union minister Jayant Chaudhary, which was seconded by Shiv Sena MP Milind Murli Deora in favour of Harivansh.
The sources said no notice of motion has been received from the Opposition before the stipulated time and accordingly the election of the deputy chairman is to be unopposed.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.