Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: M. Venkaiah Naidu
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
In India, the Vice President automatically serves as the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. This means that whoever holds the office of Vice President also presides over the Council of States. This question refers to the period from 2017 to 2022 and asks which leader served as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha during that time.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is the Vice President of India in an ex officio capacity.
- The period specified is from 2017 to 2022.
- Four names are offered, but only one corresponds to the Vice President who served in that period.
Concept / Approach:
The key concept is that the Vice President is the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. M. Venkaiah Naidu was elected as the Vice President of India in 2017 and served until 2022. Therefore, he also served as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha during that period, presiding over its sessions and ensuring orderly conduct of business.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is not separately elected by the House, but is the sitting Vice President.
Step 2: Identify who was Vice President of India between 2017 and 2022.
Step 3: M. Venkaiah Naidu held the office of Vice President during this time.
Step 4: Therefore, he served as ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha during these years.
Step 5: The other names listed do not match the office of Vice President for that period.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify by looking at a list of Vice Presidents of India and their tenures. Once you confirm that M. Venkaiah Naidu served from 2017 to 2022, it follows automatically that he was Chairman of the Rajya Sabha in that period, due to the constitutional arrangement.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- Dinesh Bhatia: Not known as a Vice President of India or Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
- Sani Mar: Not associated with this constitutional position and appears to be a distractor name.
- Arun Jaitley: A prominent political leader and former Finance Minister, but he did not serve as Vice President or Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse different high offices such as President, Vice President and key ministers. Another pitfall is to forget that the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is not chosen separately from among members of that House. Remembering the ex officio link between the Vice President and the Rajya Sabha Chairmanship helps answer such questions quickly.
Final Answer:
From 2017 to 2022, the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha was M. Venkaiah Naidu, serving in that role as Vice President of India.
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