Part V
Article 64

The Vice-President to be ex officio Chairman of the Council of States

The Vice-President shall be ex officio Chairman of the Council of the 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 under article 97.

Version 1

Article 53, Draft Constitution of India 1948

The Vice-President shall be ex-officio Chairman of the Council of States and shall not hold any other office or position of emolument:

Provided that during any period when the Vice-President acts as President or discharges the functions of the President under article 54 of this Constitution, he shall not perform the duties of the office of Chairman of the Council of States.

Version 2

Article 64, Constitution of India 1950

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 under article 97.

Summary

The Draft Article was debated on 28 December 1948. It made the Vice-President the ex officio Chairman of the Council of States (Rajya Sabha).

There was no substantive debate on this Draft Article. Two minor amendments moved by the Drafting Committee were accepted and the Assembly adopted the Draft Article on 28 December 1948.