Polity

Functioning of Rajya Sabha

The Vice-President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. The Chairman presides over the proceedings and regulates the Rajya Sabha. Except the Money/Financial Bill all other bills will be placed before the Rajya Sabha for discussion, questions, motions and resolutions under the rules of procedure and conduct of business. The functions of Rajya Sabha may broadly be categorised as: Legislative, Financial, Deliberative and Federal. Legislation is by far the most important business of Rajya Sabha, as indeed of Parliament and in this sphere, Rajya Sabha enjoys almost equal powers with Lok Sabha. In the U.S.A, the representatives in the state council is called as Senate where every state has equal representation irrespective of size and population of the states. But in India, the representation in the Rajya Sabha is based on its size of population. For example, Uttar Pradesh with the highest population elects 31 members to Rajya Sabha; on the other hand, Sikkim, the least populated state, elects only one member to Rajya Sabha. Tamil Nadu elects 18 members to the Rajya Sabha. The number of members to be elected from each State has been fixed by the fourth schedule of the Constitution. Members of the Rajya Sabha are elected

for a term of six years and then they can be re-elected. The Rajya Sabha is known as Permanent House of the Parliament that never gets fully dissolved. Some of the important privileges and immunities are given to the Members of Rajya Sabha as follows.

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