Grassroots politician who led reforms in a stormy Upper House

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, an ardent champion of the supremacy of Parliament, tendered his resignation on Monday after presiding over a deeply divided Rajya Sabha for nearly three years.

- Saubhadra Chatterji

Several reforms were initiated since he came to the Upper House. In the Table Office, which handles notices of MPs and other business, women occupied nearly 50% positions, as Dhankhar tried to promote female officers in sync with the government's approach for women welfare.

“At one point of time, a major section of presiding officers (MPs who sit in the Chair and conduct proceedings) were women. During the debate on the women reservation bill, a record number of 17 presiding officers conducted the proceedings,” said an official.

As the VP, Dhankhar had often spoken about Parliament's supremacy and on several occasions expressed anguish over the disruptions over the Opposition’s demand to discuss issues in the House. Once Dhankhar said Rule 267, which allows for adjournments, is being “weaponised as a mechanism of disruption.”