TNI Bureau: Vice President of India and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar took a bold step by reconstituting the Panel of Vice Chairpersons with 50% women MPs. That paved the way for the entry of 4 MPs including Sulata Deo from Odisha, a little known face.

Everyone was surprised to see Sulata Deo’s name in the Panel of Vice Chairpersons when BJD announced it in a press release. Why not Sasmit Patra who was in the Panel for two terms? Why not Amar Patnaik of Sujeet Kumar? Sulata’s name raised eyebrows in the political circle.

Later, it became clear that since the Panel was reconstituted with 4 women MPs, BJD was asked to nominate a woman MP as a replacement for Dr. Sasmit Patra. And, Sulata Deo was given preference over Mamata Mahanta.

The other women members who were inducted into the Panel, included PT Usha (Nominated) and S. Phangnon Konyak (BJP) and Fouzia Khan (NCP).

PT Usha became the first nominated MP in the history to be inducted into the Panel of the Vice Chairpersons of Rajya Sabha.

The Vice Chairpersons can preside over the House in the absence of the Chairman or the Deputy Chairman.

The other male MPs in the Panel are V. Vijayasai Reddy (YSRCP), Ghanshyam Tiwari (BJP), Sukhendu Shekhar Roy (TMC), and L. Hanumanthaiah (Congress).

In a historic move, Chairman, Rajya Sabha, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar reconstitutes the panel of Vice-Chairpersons with 50% women Parliamentarians.

All four women Parliamentarians nominated are first time members. #RajyaSabha #MonsoonSession pic.twitter.com/dVGjEFmY33

— Vice-President of India (@VPIndia) July 20, 2023