Harivansh Narayan Singh secured his third consecutive term as Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman after winning unopposed on Friday.
Chairman and Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan scheduled the election under Rule 7 of the Rules of Procedure. The post had fallen vacant after Harivansh’s term ended on April 9. The deadline for submitting motions closed at noon on Thursday.
The opposition did not field any candidate, leading to Harivansh’s unopposed victory. Leader of the House J. P. Nadda moved the first motion, seconded by S. Phangnon Konyak. The House adopted the motion through a voice vote, and the Chairman declared Harivansh elected.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Harivansh, saying his re-election reflected the House’s deep trust in him. Modi noted the significance of the date, April 17, which marks the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar, with whom Harivansh shared close ties.
Congress criticised the government for not consulting the Opposition and for failing to appoint a Deputy Speaker in the Lok Sabha for seven years. Party leaders expressed hope that “Harivansh 3.0” would be more responsive to Opposition concerns.
Harivansh, a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha, has already served two terms as Deputy Chairman. His re-election marks a rare instance of a nominated member holding the post for three consecutive terms.
