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Home The Constitution Part V Article 64
Art. 64 Part V: The Union

The Vice-President to Be Ex-Officio Chairman of the Council of States

Exact text — Constitution of India

The Vice-President shall be ex officio Chairman of the Council of States and shall not hold any other office of profit: Provided that during any period when the Vice-President acts as President or discharges the functions of the President under article 65, he shall not perform the duties of the office of Chairman of the Council of States and shall not be entitled to any salary or allowance payable to the Chairman of the Council of States...

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

This Article assigns the Vice-President a specific, substantial ongoing role — automatically serving as the Rajya Sabha's Chairman (its presiding officer), distinct from and in addition to the largely dormant, contingency-focused presidential-backup role. The proviso clarifies that if the Vice-President is actually acting as President, they step back from Rajya Sabha duties during that period.
Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is why the Vice-President presides over Rajya Sabha sessions day-to-day — it's their primary, active constitutional function, quite distinct from the more occasional presidential-succession role that gets more public attention.

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Read alongside this one

Art. 89 — Officers of Parliament
Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 64

Does the Vice-President need any special qualification to chair the Rajya Sabha?
No separate qualification beyond meeting the Vice-Presidential eligibility criteria themselves — the role comes automatically with the office under this Article.
← PreviousArticle 63: The Vice-President of IndiaNext →Article 65: The Vice-President to Act as President or to Discharge His Functions During Casual Vacancies in the Office, or During the Absence, of President

The text above reproduces Article 64 of the Constitution of India as amended to date, for general educational reference. It is public-domain legislative text, but we recommend cross-checking the authoritative version at legislative.gov.in or india.gov.in before relying on it for a legal matter. The explanation, examples and FAQs are general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified advocate for guidance on your specific situation.