Who among the following is the ex-officio Chairperson of Rajya Sabha (Council…

Concept

Article 64 of the Constitution of India provides that the Vice-President of India shall be the ex-officio Chairman of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha). "Ex-officio" means the role is held automatically by virtue of holding the office of Vice-President, with no separate election. The presiding officer of the Rajya Sabha is therefore not a member of the House and does not vote except in the case of an equality of votes (a casting vote, Article 100).

Applying it here

The office whose holder automatically presides over the Rajya Sabha is the Vice-President of India. Read together with Article 89(1) - which expressly names the Vice-President as ex-officio Chairman - this is the role asked for in the stem.

Contrast with the other offices

• President of India - head of state and part of Parliament, but presides over neither House; the President summons, prorogues and addresses Parliament.

• Prime Minister of India - head of the executive (Council of Ministers); the office has no presiding role in either House of Parliament.

• Speaker of Lok Sabha - the presiding officer of the Lok Sabha (the lower House), not of the Rajya Sabha.

Cross-check

The Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is the one elected from among its members; the top presiding post (Chairman) is held ex-officio by the Vice-President - consistent with Articles 64 and 89(1).