General Information about Rajya Sabha
- Permanent House: The Rajya Sabha is a permanent House and cannot be dissolved.
- Continuity: To ensure continuity, one-third of its members retire after every second year, with “biennial elections” held to fill these vacancies. The term of a member is six years.
- Election of MPs: Rajya Sabha MPs are elected by Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) through an indirect election based on a system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote. The number of votes a candidate needs depends on the number of vacancies and the strength of the House.
- Special Powers: While Rajya Sabha has a limited role in Money Bills (it can only recommend amendments), it enjoys certain special powers:
- If it passes a resolution by a majority of not less than two-thirds of members present and voting, it can declare that Parliament should make a law on a matter enumerated in the State List in the national interest.
- A similar route can be adopted for recommending the creation of one or more All India Services common to the Union and the states.
- It plays a role in approving proclamations of national emergency, failure of constitutional machinery in a State, or financial emergency.
- Under certain circumstances, if the Lok Sabha is dissolved, the Rajya Sabha alone can approve such proclamations to keep them effective.