Indian Polity : Vice President

Q 1 / 3

UPSC CSE Prelims 2013

Consider the following statements:
  1. The Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha are not the members of that House.
  2. While the nominated members of the two Houses of the Parliament have no voting right in the presidential election, they have the right to vote in the election of the Vice President.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

EXPLANATION

Correct Option (B):

Statement 1 is incorrect. The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is the Vice-President of India, who is not a member of the Rajya Sabha. However, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is elected from among the members of the Rajya Sabha (Article 89 of the Constitution). Therefore, the Deputy Chairman is a member of that House.

Statement 2 is correct. In the Presidential election, the electoral college consists of only the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States (including Delhi and Puducherry). Nominated members of Parliament do not have voting rights in the Presidential election. For the Vice-Presidential election, the electoral college comprises all members (elected and nominated) of both Houses of Parliament. Consequently, nominated members of Parliament possess the right to vote in the election of the Vice-President.

Incorrect Options:

Option 1: This option is incorrect because Statement 1 is factually incorrect, whereas Statement 2 is correct.

Option 3: This option is incorrect as Statement 1 is incorrect.

Option 4: This option is incorrect because Statement 2 is correct.

SOURCEIndian Polity by M. Laxmikanth, Chapter 17: Vice-President