Election of Rajya Sabha MPs

In News

• On June 10, the Assemblies of 4 states will elect 16 Members of Parliament (MPs) to Rajya Sabha (RS).

Rajya Sabha

• About:
  • Rajya Sabha is a permanent House and cannot be dissolved.
  • The term of a member is six years.
• Composition:
  • The Fourth Schedule to the Constitution provides for allocation of Rajya Sabha seats to the states and Union Territories, on the basis of the population of each state. 
  • Of 245 members, 12 are nominated by the President and 233 are representatives of the States and Union territories of Delhi and Puducherry. 
  • To ensure continuity, one-third of its members retire after every second year, under Article 83(1) of the Constitution.
• Special powers:
  • Empowers Parliament to make a law on a matter enumerated in the State List  in the national interest.
  • Recommending creation of one or more All India Services common to the Union and the states. 
  • Approving proclamations in the event of national emergency, failure of constitutional machinery in a State, or in the case of financial emergency.
• Elections:
  • The “biennial elections” are held to fill vacancies. 
  • Rajya Sabha MPs are elected by MLAs through an indirect election. 
  • Article 80(4) – Elections through a system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote.
  • Elections are held where there are more candidates than vacancies; otherwise, candidates are elected unopposed.
  • The number of votes a candidate requires depends on the number of vacancies and the strength of the House. 
  • If there is only one vacancy, the required quota under the Election Commission’s Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, is calculated by taking the number of votes polled, dividing it by 2, and adding 1. 
• Recent Issue:

• Potential poaching by rival parties

Source: IE