Question

The nominated members of the Rajya Sabha are supposed to provide the expertise that elected politicians may not possess. But many nominated members remain inactive and fail to perform their assigned duties. Do you agree with this view? What solutions do you suggest?

Answer 1

• Agreement with the View:
  1. High Absenteeism: Many nominated members from sports or entertainment fields continue their professional careers, leading to very low attendance in parliamentary sessions.
  2. Low Participation: Due to a lack of interest or training in legislative procedures, these members rarely participate in debates or ask questions during Question Hour.
  3. Wastage of Seats: When eminent personalities remain inactive, the constitutional objective of bringing expert knowledge into lawmaking is completely defeated.
• Suggestions for Improvement:
  1. Minimum Attendance Rule: Parliament should introduce a strict rule making a minimum percentage of attendance compulsory for all nominated members.
  2. Mandatory Committee Work: Nominated members must be placed in Parliamentary Standing Committees that match their expertise so their knowledge is directly used.
  3. Strict Screening Process: Instead of political or celebrity-based selection, an independent panel should vet nominees to ensure they are willing to dedicate time to legislative duties.
  4. Public Performance Audits: An official annual report card detailing the attendance, speeches, and work of nominated members should be published to maintain transparency.