The Rajya Sabha Secretariat on 15 April 2026 announced that Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and Vice President of India C. P. Radhakrishnan has reconstituted the Panel of Vice-Chairpersons of the Council of States with effect from 15 April 2026, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him under Rule 8 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States. The reconstituted six-member panel comprises Dinesh Sharma, S. Phangnon Konyak and Ghanshyam Tiwari from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Phulo Devi Netam from the Indian National Congress, M. Thambidurai from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, and Sasmit Patra from the Biju Janata Dal. Members nominated to this panel are called upon to preside over the proceedings of the House when both the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman are absent from the Chair. While in the Chair, the Vice-Chairperson exercises the same powers as the Chairman would have exercised had he or she been presiding, including maintaining order, regulating debate, putting questions to vote and ensuring smooth conduct of business. The reconstitution came ahead of the 16 to 18 April 2026 sittings in the third part of the Budget Session, during which the Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Delimitation Bill, 2026 were introduced in Lok Sabha. Inclusion of members across BJP, Congress, AIADMK and BJD reflects the Chairman's effort to keep the panel broadly representative of party blocks during a high-stakes legislative window. The Panel of Vice-Chairpersons is provided for under Rule 8 of the Rajya Sabha procedure rules and supports the smooth functioning of the Upper House, complementing the office of Deputy Chairman, currently held by Harivansh.