Indian Polity Facts: Rajya Sabha

Continuing with the study material for UGC NET Paper 1, here, I am presenting some useful facts about Rajya Sabha of our Parliament. These facts may be useful for the questions on Indian Polity (for paper 1)->

• Rajya Sabha was initially called "The Council of States". It was first constituted on 13 May, 1952. It was renamed to "Rajya Sabha" by its chairman on 23 August 1954.
• Dr. S. Radhakrishnan was the first Chairman of Rajya Sabha for two consecutive terms
• Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari is the current chairman since 11 August 2012.
• The minimum age for being nominated as its member is 30 years.
• The maximum strength of Rajya Sabha is two hundred and fifty (250), of which 238 are to be elected and 12 are to be nominated by the President of India. The actual strength is two hundred and forty five (245), of which 233 are elected and 12 are nominated.
•  The nominated members of Rajya Sabha have a right to vote in the election of the Vice-President of India, they are not entitled to vote in the election of the President of India.
• The allocation of seats in Rajya Sabha to the States is based on population. The maximum representation is of U.P. (31 members) and the minimum is 1 by total 9 states/UTs:
  Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim, and Tripura.
• Except of Delhi and Puducherry, Other Union territories are not represented in Rajya Sabha.
• Members of Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of the Assemblies of States and Union territories in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
• Rajya Sabha is not subject to dissolution; It is a permanent body. As nearly as possible, one-third of its members retire every second year.
• The term of a member of Rajya Sabha is 6 years.
• The quorum to constitute a meeting of Rajya Sabha is 1/10 of total members, i.e. 25.
• The Vice-President is the ex officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha. The Deputy Chairman is elected by the members of Rajya Sabha from amongst its members.
• The Chairman too has right to vote; has a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes.
• In Rajya Sabha, generally four methods of voting are adopted: Voice vote, Counting, Division by automatic vote recorder and Division by going into the Lobbies.
• A Minister who is a Member of Lok Sabha has the right to speak and otherwise to take part in the proceedings of Rajya Sabha but has no right to vote in Rajya Sabha and vice versa.
• In legislative matters, Rajya Sabha enjoys almost equal powers with Lok Sabha. However, Money Bills cannot be introduced in Rajya Sabha and are deemed to have been passed if these are not returned to Lok Sabha within fourteen (14) days.
• A Bill is a legislative proposal brought before the House for its approval. 
• The Bills initiated by Ministers are called Government Bills and those introduced by Members, who are not Ministers, are known as Private Members’ Bills. Depending on their contents, Bills may further be classified broadly into:->

1. original Bills which embody new proposals,
2. amending Bills which seek to amend existing Acts,
3. consolidating Bills which seek to consolidate existing law on a particular subject,
4. Expiring Laws (Continuance) Bills which, otherwise, would expire on a specified date, 
5. repealing Bills,
6. Bills to replace Ordinances,
7. Money and financial Bills and
8. Constitution Amendment Bills.

• A Bill passed by both Houses of Parliament becomes an Act only after it has been assented to by the President.