Question

Who presides over the council of states when the Vice- President of Indiais discharging the functions of the president of India ……………………………………?
A. Deputy chairman
B. Vice-president of India
C. Speaker of the Rajya Sabha
D. Leader of the opposition

Answer 1

Hint: The Rajya Sabha or Council of State is the upper house of India's bicameral parliament. It currently has a maximum of $$245$$ members, $233$ of whom are elected by legislatures of the states and union territories using single transferable votes through Open Ballot, while the President can appoint $$12$$ members who contribute to arts, literature, science and social services.

Complete answer:
The Deputy Chairman is elected by the Rajya Sabha himself from among his people. The Deputy Chairman carries out the duties of the Presidential Cabinet when he is vacant or when the Vice President (ex officio chairman of Rajya Sabha) acts as the President or discharges the functions of the President.

In $2014$ Janata Dal (United) Singh nominated Raja Sabha of Bihar for a six-year term. On $$8$$ August $2018$ , he was elected Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha for a six-year term as a candidate for the National Democratic Alliance, winning the election from $$125$$ to $105$ against the opposition candidate. He is the third person in forty years to hold the post of the Indian National Congress. He was re-elected as Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha in September $$14$$ , $$2020$$ after returning to Raja Sabha for his second term in Bihar.

Hence, the correct answer is option A.

Note:
First woman deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha: In $1962$ , Alva became deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the first woman to rule the Rajya Sabha in its history. Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu is the current Vice President of India and chairman of the Rajya Sabha.