Congress leader PJ Kurien was unanimously elected the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha on 21 August, 2012. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh moved the motion for the election of Kurien.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is also the leader of the House, proposed Mr. Kurien's name for the post. He was seconded by Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley.
Mr. Kurien's name was also proposed by Shivanand Tiwari (Janata Dal-United), Motilal Vora and Karan Singh (both Congress), Dereck O’ Brien (Trinamool Congress), Javed Akhtar (Nominated) and Kanimozhi (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), and seconded by Naresh Agarwal (Samajwadi Party), Devender Goud (Telugu Desam Party), Praveen Rashtrapal (Congress), Ram Kripal Yadav (Rashtriya Janata Dal), D. Bandyopadhyay (Trinamool Congress), Anu Aga (Nominated) and Ram Kripal Yadav (Rashtriya Janata Dal).
Kurien has been the member of national parliament for the last three decades representing Idukki, and Mavelikkara Lok Sabha constituencies. Since 2005 he is a member of the Rajya Sabha.
The Deputy Chairman is elected in the meeting of the Rajya Sabha as decided by Chairman of the Rajya Sabha from amongst the members of the Rajya Sabha. He is supposed to resign from his original party because as a Deputy Speaker, he has to remain impartial.
Deputy Chaiman of Rajya Sabha acts as the Presiding Officer in case of leave or absence of the Chairman of Rajya Sabha, the Vice-President of India.
