The Government of India (GoI) on July 6 nominated musician Ilaiyaraaja, track-and-field icon PT Usha, Telugu screenwriter V Vijayendra Prasad, and philanthropist and spiritual leader Veerendra Heggade to Rajya Sabha.
- The four new entrants to Rajya Sabha belong to four southern states, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka.
Constitutional provisions
- Article 80 of the Constitution says “The Council of States shall consist of (a) 12 members to be nominated by the President in accordance with the provisions of clause (3); and (b) not more than two hundred and thirty-eight representatives of the States and of the Union territories.
- Article 80 (3) says that the members to be nominated by the President…shall consist of persons having special knowledge or practical experience in respect of such matters as the following, namely:—Literature, science, art and social service.”
Rights of Nominated members of Rajya Sabha
- Nominated members of Rajya Sabha enjoy all the powers and privileges to which the elected MPs are entitled.
- They can take part in the proceedings of the House in the normal manner. Nominated members are not allowed to vote in the election of the President.
- They do have the right to vote in the election of the Vice-President, however.
- A nominated member can join a political party within six months of taking his/ her seat in the House.
- Maragatham Chandrasekar, Congress general secretary and former minister, served three terms as nominated member of Rajya Sabha from 1970 to 1988 as a “social worker”.
(Source: Indian Express)
GS TIMES UPSC PRELIMS & MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS BASED BASICS DAILY ONLINE TEST CLICK HERE
CLICK HERE DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS QUIZ FOR STATE CIVIL SERVICES
MORE THAN 30 QUESTIONS FORM GS TIMES UPSC 2022 PRELIMS CURRENT AFFAIRS DAILY TEST
