The deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha is the second-highest-ranking authority of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the parliament of India. He acts as the presiding authority in the event of leave or absence caused by the death or illness of the chairman of the Rajya Sabha. As per Article 89 of the constitution, the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) is required to choose a member to be the deputy chairman whenever the office becomes vacant. However, the article does not stipulate a specific timeframe for this election. Additionally, it is a parliamentary convention to elect the deputy chairman from a party apart from the ruling party, ensuring a more accountable and democratic parliamentary system.
The deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha is elected among the members of parliament. He is elected by a simple majority of those present and voting. The chairman fixes the date for electing the deputy chairman, and there is no need for a separate oath. Since 1952, the Rajya Sabha has had 12 deputy chairmen. The longest-serving deputy chairman is Najma Heptulla from the Indian National Congress, who held the office for over sixteen years across multiple tenures. Following her, S. V. Krishnamoorthy Rao and K. Rahman Khan from the same party are the second and third longest-serving deputy chairmen respectively. Harivansh made history as the first-ever nominated member to hold the position.
The current incumbent is the nominated member Harivansh since 17 April 2026.
List Key Resigned Returned to office after a previous non-consecutive term (9) (1) (1) (1) (1)PortraitName Elected fromTerm of officeElectionPolitical partyChairmanAssumed officeLeft officeTime in office1S. V. Krishnamoorthy Rao(1902–1968)Karnataka31 May 19522 April 19569 years, 252 days1952Indian National Congressrowspan=4 Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan25 April 19561 March 196219562Violet Alva(1908–1969)Gujarat19 April 19622 April 19667 years, 206 days1960Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Zakir Husain
Varahagiri Venkata Giri
Gopal Swarup Pathak7 April 196616 November 196919663Bhaurao Dewaji Khobragade(1925–1984)Maharashtra17 December 19692 April 19722 years, 107 daysRepublican Party of IndiaGopal Swarup Pathak4Godey Murahari(1926–1982)Uttar Pradesh13 April 19722 April 19744 years, 317 days1968Independentrowspan=2 Gopal Swarup Pathak
B. D. Jatti26 April 197420 March 197719745Ram Niwas Mirdha(1924–2010)Rajasthan30 March 19772 April 1980Indian National Congressrowspan=12 B. D. Jatti
M. Hidayatullah6Shyam Lal Yadav(1927–2005)Uttar Pradesh30 July 19802 April 19824 years, 126 days1976M. Hidayatullah
R. Venkataraman28 April 198229 December 198419827Najma Heptulla( 1940)Maharashtra25 January 198520 January 1986360 days1980R. Venkataraman8M. M. Jacob(1926–2018)Keralam26 February 198622 October 1986238 days19829Pratibha Devisingh Patil( 1934)Maharashtra18 November 19865 November 19881985R. Venkataraman
Shanker Dayal Sharma(7)Najma Heptulla( 1940)18 November 19884 July 199215 years, 195 days1986Shanker Dayal Sharma
K. R. Narayanan
Krishan Kant
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat10 July 19924 July 199819929 July 199810 June 2004199810K. Rahman Khan( 1939)Karnataka22 July 20042 April 20067 years, 215 days2000Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
Mohammad Hamid Ansari12 May 20062 April 2012200611P. J. Kurien( 1941)Keralam21 August 20121 July 20185 years, 314 days2012Mohammad Hamid Ansari
M. Venkaiah Naidu12Harivansh( 1956)Bihar9 August 20189 April 20202014Janata Dal (United)rowspan=2 M. Venkaiah Naidu
Jagdeep Dhankhar
C. P. Radhakrishnan14 September 20209 April 20262020Nominated17 April 2026Incumbent2026Nominated
Timeline
Statistics List of deputy chairmen by length of term NamePartyLength of termLongest continuous termTotal duration of deputy chairmanship1Najma HeptullaINC15 years, 195 days16 years, 190 days2S. V. Krishnamoorthy RaoINC9 years, 252 days9 years, 252 days3K. Rahman KhanINC7 years, 215 days7 years, 215 days4Violet AlvaINC7 years, 206 days7 years, 206 days5HarivanshNOM/JD(U)6P. J. KurienINC5 years, 314 days5 years, 314 days7Godey MurahariIND4 years, 317 days4 years, 317 days8Shyam Lal YadavINC4 years, 126 days4 years, 126 days9Ram Niwas MirdhaINC3 years, 3 days3 years, 3 days10Bhaurao Dewaji KhobragadeRPI2 years, 107 days2 years, 107 days11Pratibha Devisingh PatilINC1 year, 353 days1 year, 353 days12M. M. JacobINC238 days238 days
List by party +Parties by total time-span of their member holding DCO ( )Political partyNumber of deputy chairmenTotal days of holding DCO1Indian National Congress920886 days2Janata Dal (United)12642 days3Independent11778 days4Republican Party of India1837 days5Nominated1 days
Parties by total duration (in days) of holding Deputy Chairman's Office
See also Speaker of the Lok Sabha Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha Leader of the House in Lok Sabha Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha
Notes
References
External links Rajya Sabha Parliament of India