Rajya Sabha

Indian Polity

Chapter 15: Rajya Sabha

The Parliament consists of three parts:

1. The President
2. The Council of States
3. The House of the People

Rajya Sabha:

• The Rajya Sabha was constituted in the year 1952.
• This is a permanent house. It is not subjected to dissolution.
• The fourth schedule of the Indian Constitution deals with the allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha to the states and Union Territories.
• The seats are allotted to the states in Upper House on the basis of population.
• The maximum strength of Rajya Sabha is 250 members.
• The present strength of the Upper House is 245.
• Out of 250 members 238 are the representatives of the states and Union Territories.
• These 238 are elected indirectly by the elected members of Legislative Assemblies of the concerned states.
• Article 80 (3) of the Indian Constitution permits that 12 members are nominated by the President with the special knowledge or practical experience in the fields like Science, Arts, Literature and Social Service.
• 1/3rd members retire at the end of every second year.
• The members are eligible for re-election after completion of the term.
• The term of a member of Rajya Sabha is 6 years.

Qualifications:

• A citizen of India.
• Not be less than 30 years of age.
• Must possess other qualifications as prescribed by the Parliament.
• The Parliament has laid down additional qualifications in the Representation of Peoples Act of 1951.
• Must be registered as an elector for a parliamentary constituency in the concerned state or Union Territory.

Disqualifications (Article 102):

• Article 102 of the Indian Constitution provided disqualification of a person who is a member of the Parliament.

1. If holds any office of profit under the Union or State government.
2. If the person is of unsound mind and stands so declared by a court.
3. If the person is an un-discharged insolvent.
4. If the person is not a citizen of Indian or has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign state.
5. If so disqualified under any law made by the Parliament.

• The members of Rajya Sabha are disqualified by the President after seeking the opinion from the Election Commission.

Composition Of Rajya Sabha:

1. Andhra Pradesh – 18
2. Arunachal Pradesh – 1
3. Assam – 7
4. Bihar – 16
5. Chattisgarh – 5
6. Goa – 1
7. Gujarat – 11
8. Haryana – 5
9. Himachal Pradesh – 3
10. Jammu and Kashmir – 4
11. Jharkhand – 6
12. Karnataka – 12
13. Kerala – 9
14. Madhya Pradesh – 11
15. Maharashtra – 19
16. Manipur – 1
17. Meghalaya – 1
18. Mizoram – 1
19. Nagaland – 1
20. Delhi – 3
21. Orissa – 10
22. Pondichherry – 1
23. Punjab – 7
24. Rajasthan – 10
25. Sikkim – 1
26. Tamil Nadu – 18
27. Tripura – 1
28. Uttar Pradesh – 31
29. Uttarakhand – 3
30. West Bengal – 16

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