Parliament — Rajya Sabha

The maximum strength of the Rajya Sabha is fixed at 250, out of which 238 are representatives of states and union territories, and 12 are nominated by the President.

Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of seats in the Rajya Sabha (31), followed by Maharashtra (19) and Tamil Nadu (18).

The representatives of states in the Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of state legislative assemblies through the method of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote.

The Vice-President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

The term of a member of the Rajya Sabha is 6 years, not 5 years. One-third of the members retire every two years.

Article 249 provides that if the Rajya Sabha passes a resolution supported by a two-thirds majority, Parliament can legislate on a subject in the State List in the national interest.

Article 80 provides for the nomination of 12 members to the Rajya Sabha by the President from persons having special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art, and social service.

The power to authorize the creation of All-India Services is an exclusive power of the Rajya Sabha under Article 312.

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan served as the first Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (1952–1962), as he was the first Vice-President of India.

Under Article 108, a joint sitting of both Houses is summoned by the President to resolve a deadlock over an ordinary bill.

Nominated members of either House of Parliament are not eligible to vote in the election of the President of India.

As per Article 84 of the Constitution, a person must be at least 30 years of age to be a member of the Rajya Sabha.

The Rajya Sabha is the Council of States, and its primary purpose is to represent the interests of the States and Union Territories in the federal structure.

Among the Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir has 4 seats, followed by NCT of Delhi with 3 seats in the Rajya Sabha.

A Money Bill can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha on the recommendation of the President. The Rajya Sabha has limited powers regarding Money Bills.

The power to summon and prorogue either House of Parliament rests with the President of India.

Under Article 101, if a member of either House is absent for 60 days without permission, the House may declare his seat vacant.

The Rajya Sabha was first constituted on 3rd April 1952, and its first sitting was held on 13th May 1952.

The Rajya Sabha has equal powers with the Lok Sabha in the election and impeachment of the President, and the approval of proclamations of emergency.

Members of the Rajya Sabha are elected for a term of six years; however, one-third of its members retire every second year.

The 61st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1988, lowered the voting age for elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies from 21 to 18 years.

Members of the Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of State Legislative Assemblies through the system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote.

Under Article 100(3), the quorum to constitute a meeting of either House of Parliament is one-tenth of the total number of members of the House.

The Speaker of the Lok Sabha has the exclusive and final authority to certify whether a bill is a Money Bill or not.

Maharashtra has 19 seats in the Rajya Sabha, the second-highest after Uttar Pradesh (31).

Article 108 provides for a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament to resolve a deadlock over a non-money bill.

Under Article 80, the President nominates members with special knowledge or practical experience in: Literature, Science, Art, and Social Service. (Note: The 4th category is Social Service; the option 'Social Service' in the prompt is actually a correct field; if the question implies which is NOT, it must be noted that 'Social Service' is included).

The Chairman does not have a regular vote but has a 'casting vote' in the case of an equality of votes.

The resolution for the removal of the Vice-President must be initiated in the Rajya Sabha and agreed to by the Lok Sabha.

Article 85 mandates that the maximum gap between two sessions of Parliament shall not exceed six months.

Impeachment charges can be initiated in either House of Parliament; both Houses play an equal role in the investigation and passage of the motion.

A Constitutional Amendment Bill must be passed by both Houses separately by a special majority; the Rajya Sabha has equal power here.

When the office of the Chairman is vacant or the Vice-President acts as President, the Deputy Chairman performs the duties of the Chairman.

Allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha to the States is made on the basis of their population, as per the Fourth Schedule.

The Deputy Chairman is elected by the Rajya Sabha itself from among its members.

The Rajya Sabha must return a Money Bill to the Lok Sabha within 14 days, with or without recommendations.

The Council of States was renamed 'Rajya Sabha' by the Chairman on 23 August 1954.

Currently, Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir are the only Union Territories that have representation in the Rajya Sabha.

Removal of judges requires a special majority in both Houses of Parliament, meaning the Rajya Sabha has equal power with the Lok Sabha in this judicial process.

The seats in the Rajya Sabha are allocated to the states on the basis of their population, as per the Fourth Schedule.

The Election Commission of India is the constitutional body responsible for conducting the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha.

Article 312 empowers the Rajya Sabha to declare that it is in the national interest to create one or more All-India Services common to the Union and the States.

A member of the Rajya Sabha addresses their resignation letter to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

The Council of States was renamed as Rajya Sabha by the Chairman of the Council of States via a formal announcement on 23 August 1954; it was not done via a constitutional amendment.

The Constitution only mandates that the interval between two sessions should not exceed six months, implying a minimum of two sessions, but there is no maximum limit.

The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is the ex-officio Chairman of the Business Advisory Committee of the House.

Unlike Money Bills, there is no constitutional time limit for the Rajya Sabha to pass ordinary legislation, though a deadlock can lead to a joint sitting.

The Deputy Chairman is elected by the members of the Rajya Sabha from amongst themselves, not appointed by the President.