With reference to the 'Vice-President of India', which of the following statements is/are correct?

Question

With reference to the 'Vice-President of India', which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. The Vice-President is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

2. The Vice-President is a member of the Rajya Sabha.

Select the correct answer from the code given below:

1. A. Both 1 and 2
2. B. Neither 1 nor 2
3. C. Only 2
4. D. Only 1 (Correct answer)

Correct Answer

Option D — Only 1

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Only 1.

Key Points

• Statement 1 is correct. Under Article 64, the Vice-President is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
• Statement 2 is incorrect. The Vice-President is NOT a member of the Rajya Sabha, or of either House, or of a state legislature. If a member is elected Vice-President, the seat is deemed vacated on the day the office is assumed.
• Only statement 1 holds, giving option (d).

Additional Information

• Because the Chairman is not a member of the House, he or she cannot vote in the first instance and may exercise only a casting vote in the event of a tie. Contrast the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, who *is* a member of that House.
• The Vice-President is elected by an electoral college of both Houses of Parliament — including nominated members — through proportional representation by single transferable vote. Note that state legislatures do not take part, unlike the presidential election.
• Qualifications: citizen of India, at least 35 years of age, and qualified for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha (whereas the President must be qualified for the Lok Sabha).
• Term of five years; removable by a resolution of the Rajya Sabha passed by an effective majority and agreed to by the Lok Sabha, with 14 days' notice. No ground is specified, and there is no impeachment procedure as there is for the President.
• The Vice-President acts as President during a vacancy, for a maximum of six months.