Naidu accepts Neeraj Shekhar's resignation

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Tuesday said he has accepted the resignation of Samajwadi Party leader Neeraj Shekhar after being satisfied that the same was voluntary and genuine.

When the House met for the day, Naidu mentioned that he had received a letter from Shekhar, son of former Prime Minister and socialist leader Chandra Shekhar, on July 15.

"I made inquiries (with Shekhar) of the resignation being voluntary and genuine and having satisfied I have accepted the resignation with effect from July 15," he said.

A two-time Lok Sabha MP, Shekhar, 50, was first elected to the Lower House in a by-election in Ballia in 2007 after his father's death. He retained the seat in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections.

Following his defeat in the 2014 parliamentary polls, the SP nominated him to the Rajya Sabha.

Shekhar's term in the Upper House was to expire in November 2020.

Naidu said he had accepted the resignation under Rule 213 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha.

The Rule 213 states that if a member chooses to resign, he shall say so in writing in his hand and convey it to the Chairman and if the Chairman is convinced of the genuineness of the resignation she/he may accept it immediately.

Naidu said when Shekhar met him, he asked if the resignation was voluntary and if he would like to rethink.

Shekhar said he was resigning voluntarily and would not want to rethink, he added.