In a historic move, Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankar on Thursday reconstituted the panel of vice- chairpersons of the upper house of the parliament with 50 percent of them being women.
The elected new vice- chairpersons are former sprinter Padma Shree P T Usha, S Phangnon Konyak and Ghanashyam Tiwari of Bhartiya Janata Party, Dr. Fouzia Khan of Nationalist Congress Party, Sulata Deo of Biju Janata Dal, V Vijaysai Reddy, L Hanumanthaiah of Indian National Congress, Sukhendu Sekhar Ray of All India Trinamool Congress.
4 out of 8 newly added members in the panel are women.
Announcing the list, Chairman Dhankar said, “Honorable members will be happy to note that 50% of the vice chairpersons happen to be women.”
As per the Rajya Sabha rules, “The chairman shall from time to time, nominate from amongst the members of the Council a panel of not more than six vice-chairmen, one of whom may preside over the Council in the absence of the chairman and the deputy chairman when so requested by the chairman, or in his absence, by the deputy chairman.”
A vice-chairperson nominated under sub-rule (1) shall hold office until a new panel of vice-chairperson is nominated, the rules say.
The newly constituted panel came into effect from July 17.
