Question

This picture is a symbol of the federal spirit of the Indian Constitution. In this context, answer the following questions:

1. Why is the Rajya Sabha called the ‘Council of States’?
2. How does the election of Rajya Sabha members ensure that the House serves as a true representative of the States?
3. How does it effectively represent the interests of the States?

Answer 1

1. The Rajya Sabha is called the Council of States because it functions as the federal chamber of Parliament, representing the interests of the constituent States and Union Territories of India rather than the general electorate directly.
2. • Indirect Election by MLAs: Members are elected directly by the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) of each State, ensuring a direct institutional link between the state governments and the federal legislature.
   • Proportional Representation: The election follows the system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote, which ensures that political parties receive seats in exact proportion to their strength in the state assemblies.
3. • Check on Central Legislation: It acts as a revising chamber that can delay, amend, or block hasty legislation passed by the Lok Sabha, which might infringe upon state autonomy.
   • State List Authorisation (Article 249): It holds the exclusive power to pass a resolution by a two-thirds majority, allowing Parliament to legislate on any subject mentioned in the State List in the national interest.
   • Creation of All-India Services (Article 312): It can uniquely authorise the creation of new All-India Services common to both the Centre and the States, safeguarding the administrative interests of the States.