History of Rajya Sabha When was the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) first constituted?

Ans: On 3 April 1952. When did the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) meet for the first time?

Ans:On 13 May 1952. When was the Council of States named as Rajya Sabha in Hindi?

Ans:On 23 August 1954. The Chairman, Rajya Sabha made an announcement in the House that the Council of States would now be called Rajya Sabha in Hindi. Who was the first Chairman of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Dr. S. Radhakrishnan. Who are the Chairman of Rajya Sabha who have held office consecutively for two terms?

Ans:Dr. S. Radhakrishnan was the first Chairman of Rajya Sabha for two consecutive terms (13.5.1952 to 12.5.1962). The current Chairman, Shri Mohammad Hamid Ansari is also continuing as the Vice-President of India for a second term (11.08.2007 to 10.08.2012 and again from 11.08.2012 till date). Who was the first Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Shri S.V.Krishnamoorthy Rao (31.5.1952 - 2.4.1956 & 25.4.1956 - 1.3.1962).Composition of Rajya Sabha What is the maximum strength of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Two hundred and fifty (250), of which 238 are to be elected and 12 are to benominated by the President of India. What is the actual strength of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Two hundred and forty five (245), of which233 are elected and 12 are nominated. How many members does each state have in Rajya Sabha?

Ans:The allocation of seats in Rajya Sabha to the States is based on population. It is given in the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution, which is as follows:StatesNo. of seats

Andhra Pradesh18

Arunachal Pradesh1

Assam7

Bihar16

Chhattisgarh5

Goa1

Gujarat11

Haryana5

Himachal Pradesh3

Jammu and Kashmir 4

Jharkhand6

Karnataka12

Kerala9

Madhya Pradesh11

Maharashtra 19

Manipur1

Meghalaya1

Mizoram1

Nagaland1

National Capital Territory of Delhi 3

Odisha10

Puducherry1

Punjab 7

Rajasthan10

Sikkim 1

Tamil Nadu18

Tripura1

Uttarakhand3

Uttar Pradesh31

West Bengal 16

Currently how many members are elected from Union territories?

Ans:In total four members are elected from the Union territories (3 from Delhi and 1 from Puducherry). However, currently one seat from Delhi and one from Puducherry is vacant. Other Union territories are not represented in Rajya Sabha. Why is Rajya Sabha called a permanent body?

Ans:Rajya Sabha is not subject to dissolution; as nearly as possible, one-third of its members retire every second year. What is the term of a member of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:It is six years; but a member elected in a bye-election serves for the remainder of the term of the vacancy caused. What is the quorum to constitute a meeting of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:It is one-tenth of the total members of the House, i.e., 25 members. Which is the party will maximum members in the House?

Ans:Indian National Congress.Officers ofRajya Sabha Who acts asthe Chairman, Rajya Sabha?

Ans:The Vice-President is the ex officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha. How is the Vice-President of India elected?

Ans: The Vice-President is elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. What is the term of office of Vice-President of India?

Ans:The Vice-President holds office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office. Currently who is the Chairman of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:ShriMohammad Hamid Ansari How is the Deputy Chairman elected?

Ans: The Deputy Chairman is elected by the members of Rajya Sabha from amongst its members. What are the responsibilities of the Deputy Chairman?

Ans: While the office of Chairman is vacant, or during any period when the Vice-President is acting as, or discharging the functions of the President, the duties of the office of the Chairman are performed by the Deputy Chairman. Currently who is the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Prof. P. J. Kurien who presides over the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha in the absence of both the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman?

Ans:Under Rule 8 of the of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha),the Chairman, Rajya Sabha nominates six members on the panel of Vice-Chairmen, one of whom presides over the House in the absence of both the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman. When neither the Chairman nor the Deputy Chairman and none of the Vice Chairmen is present to preside, the House may decide about any other member present to preside. Currently who is the Leader of the House?

Ans:Dr. Manmohan Singh What are the responsibilities of the Leader of the House?

Ans:Leader of the House plays an important role in drawing up the programme of official business in the House. Normally, the Prime Minister nominates a Minister who is a member of the Rajya Sabha as Leader of the House, but if the Prime Minister himself is a member of Rajya Sabha, he will act as the Leader of the House. Currently who is the Leader of the Opposition?

Ans:Shri Arun Jaitley. Currently who is the Secretary-General of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Shri Shumsher K. Sheriff How is the Secretary-General appointed?

Ans:The Secretary-General is appointed by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha and holds a rank equivalent to the Cabinet Secretary, the highest civil servant of the Union Government. What is the role of the Secretary-General?

Ans:He assists the Presiding Officers in conducting the proceedings of the House by giving them advice and expert opinion. He does not participate in the debate except for reporting messages from the Lok Sabha about Bills or any other matter. All notices under the rules are addressed to him. He is the custodian of the records of the House. He prepares full report of the proceedings of the House and also issues the List of Business for the day. He is the administrative head of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat.Members of Rajya Sabha How are members of Rajya Sabha elected?

Ans:Members of Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of the Assemblies of States and Union territories in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. What are the requirements to become a member of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:He should be a citizen of India above 30 years of age and possessing such other qualifications as may be prescribed by law of Parliament. Should a Member be a domicile of the State from which he is elected to Rajya Sabha?

Ans:No. It is no longer essential. He has to be an elector in a parliamentary constituency anywhere in India. Are there nominated members in Rajya Sabha ?

Ans:Yes, there are twelve members nominated by the President of India from amongst persons having special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art and social service. Do the nominated members vote in the election of the Vice-President and the President?

Ans:While the nominated members of Rajya Sabha have a right to vote in the election of the Vice-President of India, they are not entitled to vote in the election of the President of India. Who was the first woman nominated member of the Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Smt. Rukmini Devi Arundale (1952-56 and 1956-62). Who are the current nominated members in Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Seven(7). Prof. M.S Swaminathan,Shri H.K. Dua,Dr. Ashok S.Ganguly,Shri Mani Shankar Aiyar,Shri Javed Akhtar,Smt. B.Jayashree and Dr. Bhalchandra Mungekar. Currently how many members of Rajya Sabha are there in the Council of Ministers?

Ans:Twelve (12). They are Dr. Manmohan Singh,Shri Anand Sharma, Shri A.K. Antony, Smt. Ambika Soni, Shri G.K. Vasan, Shri Gulam Nabi Azad, Shri Jairam Ramesh, Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan, Shri S.M. Krishna, Shri Vayalar Ravi, Shri Ashwani Kumar and Shri Rajeev Shukla. Can a Minister who is a Member of Lok Sabha participate in the proceedings of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:A Minister who is a Member of Lok Sabha has the right to speak in and otherwise to take part in the proceedings of Rajya Sabha but has no right to vote in Rajya Sabha and vice versa. Currently how many women members are there in Rajya Sabha and what is their percentage?

Ans:Twenty Six (26), 10.6% Who is currently the youngest member in Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Shri Dilip Kumar Tirkey Who is currently the oldest member in Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Shri Rishang Keishing. Who is currently the longest serving member in Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Dr. Najma A. Heptulla Among the current members of Rajya Sabha, who has the longest legislative experience?

Ans:Shri Rishang Keishing. Who decides if the member is disqualified from being a member of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:If any question arises as to whether a member of the House has become subject to disqualification under article 102 (1), the question is referred for the decision of the President and his decision is final. Before giving any decision on any such question, the President obtains the opinion of the Election Commission of India and acts according to such opinion. If under article 102 (2) any question arises as to whether a member of the House has become subject to disqualification under the Tenth Schedule to the Constitution, the question is referred to the Chairman, Rajya Sabha and his decision is final.Role and functions What are the special powers of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Rajya Sabha being a federal chamber - representing States/Union territories, enjoys certain special powers:1. to empower Parliament to make laws in respect of any matter enumerated in the State List in the national interest by adopting a resolution to this effect (article 249),2. creation of All India Services (article 312) and3. approvingProclamations (issued under article 352 or article 356or article 360) if the Lok Sabha stand dissolved or the dissolution of the Lok Sabha takes place within the period allowed for the approval of the Proclamation by Parliament. What is the legislative relationship between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha?

Ans:In legislative matters, Rajya Sabha enjoys almost equal powers with Lok Sabha, except in the case of Money Bills where the latter has overriding powers. Such Bills cannot be introduced in Rajya Sabha and are deemed to have been passed if these are not returned to Lok Sabha within fourteen days. Is any deadlock between the two Houses possible?

Ans:Yes. In the case of Bills, a disagreement between the two Houses may arise when a Bill passed by one House is rejected by the other House; or the Houses have finally disagreed as to the amendments to be made in the Bill; or more than six months lapse from the date of the reception of the Bill by the other House without the Bill being passed by it. What is the mechanism for resolving the deadlock between the two Houses?

Ans: A joint sitting of the Houses is convened for this purpose. In the case of Money Bills, there is no question of a deadlock as the Rajya Sabha has a limited say in such matters. There is no provision for a joint sitting in case of a deadlock over a Constitution Amendment Bill. How many joint sittings of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha have been convened so far?

Ans:In the history of Parliament of India, there have been three occasions when both Houses of Parliament held a joint sitting to resolve deadlock on Bills between them, i.e., 5. 6 and 9 May 1961 on the Dowry Prohibition Bill, 1959;5. 17 May 1978 on the Banking Service Commission (Repeal) Bill, 1977; and5. 26 March 2002 on the Prevention of Terrorism Bill, 2002.1. What are the powers of the Rajya Sabha with respect to the Money Bill?

Ans:A Money Bill is introduced only in Lok Sabha and after it is passed by that House, it is transmitted to Rajya Sabha for its concurrence or recommendation. Rajya Sabha has to return the Money Bill to Lok Sabha within a period of fourteen days from its receipt. Rajya Sabha cannot amend the Money Bill directly; it can only recommend amendments to the Bill. Lok Sabha may either accept or reject all or any of the recommendations made by the Rajya Sabha. If Lok Sabha accepts any of the recommendations made by Rajya Sabha, the Bill is deemed to have been passed by both the Houses with the amendments so recommended and accepted. If, however, Lok Sabha does not accept any of the recommendations of Rajya Sabha, the Money Bill is deemed to have been passed by both Houses of Parliament in the form in which it was passed by Lok Sabha without any of the amendments recommended by Rajya Sabha.Committees What are the different categories of Parliamentary Committees of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Parliamentary Committees of the Rajya Sabha may be categorized as ad hoc Committees and Standing Committees. What are ad hoc Committees?

Ans:Ad hoc Committees are those Committees which may be constituted by the House or by the Chairman or by the Presiding Officers of both Houses jointly to consider and report on specific matters. Such Committees become functus officio as soon as they complete their work. These Committees may be divided into two categories:1. Select/Joint Committees on Bills constituted by the House(s) on specific motion to consider and report on Bills; and2. Committees which are constituted from time to time to enquire into and report on specific subjects.

What are Standing Committees?

Ans:Standing Committees are permanent Committees whose members are either elected by the House or nominated by the Chairman every year or from time to time. These are: Business Advisory Committee, General Purposes Committee, Committee on Government assurances, House Committee, Committee on Petitions, Committee on Subordinate Legislation, Committee on Papers Laid on the Table, Committee of Privileges, Committee on Rules, Committee on Ethics, Committee on Provision of Computers to Members of Rajya Sabha, Committee on Member of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme and the Department-related Standing Committees. What are Department-related Standing Committees?

Ans:DRSCs were set up in 1993 to scrutinize the functioning of the various Ministries/ Departments of the Union Government assigned to them in order to further strengthen the accountability of the Government to Parliament. How many DRSCs have been Constituted?

Ans:Twenty-four DRSCs have been constituted consisting of not more than thirty-one members, out of which twenty-one members are nominated by the Speaker, Lok Sabha and ten members are nominated by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha. What are the main functions of the DRSCs?

Ans:These Committees are entrusted with the following functions 6. to consider the Demands for Grants of the related Ministries/ Departments and report thereon;6. to examine Bills, pertaining to the related Ministries/Departments, referred to the Committee and report thereon;6. to consider the annual reports of the Ministries/ Departments and report thereon; and6. to consider national basic long term policy documents and report thereon.

1. How many DRSCs are there under the jurisdiction of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha?

Ans:Eight DRSCs function under the control and direction of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, while sixteen such Committees function under the control and direction of the Speaker, Lok Sabha.1. Which are the DRSCs under Rajya Sabha and the Ministries/ Departments under their purview?

Ans:Details of the Committees and the Ministries/Departments under them are given as under:Sl. No.Name of the CommitteeMinistries/ Departments

1Committee on CommerceCommerce and Industry

2Committee on Home Affairs8. Home Affairs8. Development of North-Eastern Region

3Committee on Human Resource Development8. Human Resource Development 8. Youth Affairs and Sports8. Women and Child Development

4Committee on Industry8. Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises8. Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME)

5Committee on Science & Technology, Environment & Forests8. Science and Technology8. Space8. Ocean Development8. Atomic Energy8. Environment and Forests8. Earth Sciences

6Committee on Transport, Tourism & Culture8. Civil Aviation8. Shipping, Road Transport and Highways8. Tourism and Culture

7Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law & Justice8. Law and Justice 8. Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions

8Committee on Health and Family WelfareHealth and Family Welfare

1. 1. What are the details regarding Chairmanship of the Committees of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:The Chairman, Rajya Sabha is the Chairman of the Business Advisory Committee, General Purposes Committee and Committee on Rules. The Deputy Chairman is the Chairman of the Committee of Privileges. In the case of otherStanding Committees, namely, Committee on Petitions, Committee on Government Assurances, Committee on Subordinate Legislation, Committee on Papers Laid on the Table and the House Committee, the Chairmanship is shared between the ruling and the opposition parties in proportion to their numerical strength in the House.The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha appoints Chairman of Committees in consultation with the leaders of parties/groups concerned. The Chairmanship of Committees allotted to the opposition parties may rotate amongst themselves.1. What are the functions of the Committee on Ethics?

Ans:Under Rule 290 of the Rule of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States, the Committee on Ethics has the following functions: (i)to oversee the moral and ethical conduct of members: (ii)to prepare a Code of Conduct for members and to suggestamendments or additions to the Code from time to time in the form ofreports to the Council; (iii) to examine cases concerning the alleged breach of the Code of Conduct by members as also cases concerning allegations of any other ethical misconduct of members; and (iv)to tender advice to members from time to time on questions involving ethical standards either suo motu or on receiving specific requests.1. What sanctions the Committee on Ethics can impose on proved unethical behavior or misconduct of a member?

Ans:The Committee may recommend imposition of one or more of the following sanctions, viz. 12. censure;12. reprimand;12. suspension from the Council for a specific period; and12. any other sanction determined by the Committee to be appropriate.

1. What is the Code of Conduct for Members enumerated by the Committee on Ethics adopted by the Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Yes. The Code of Conduct is as follows:

The Members of Rajya Sabha should acknowledge their responsibility to maintain the public trust reposed in them and should work diligently to discharge their mandate for common good of the people. They must hold in high esteem the Constitution, the Law, Parliamentary Institutions and above all the general public. They should constantly strive to translate the ideals laid down in the Preamble to the Constitution into a reality. The following are the principles which they should abide by in their dealings:13. Members must not do anything that brings disrepute to the Parliament and affects their credibility.13. Members must utilise their position as Members of Parliament to advance general well-being of the people.13. In their dealing if Members find that there is a conflict between their personal interests and the public trust which they hold, they should resolve such a conflict in a manner that their private interests are subordinated to the duty of their public office.13. Members should always see that their private financial interests and those of the members of their immediate family do not come in conflict with the public interest and if any such conflict ever arises, they should try to resolve such a conflict in a manner that the public interest is not jeopardised.13. Members should never expect or accept any fee, remuneration or benefit for a vote given by them on the floor of the House, for introducing a Bill, for moving a resolution or desisting from moving a resolution, putting a question or abstaining from asking a question or participating in the deliberations of the House or a Parliamentary Committee.13. Members should not take a gift which may interfere with honest and impartial discharge of their official duties. They may, however, accept incidental gifts or inexpensive mementoes and customary hospitality.13. Member holding public offices should use public resources in such a manner as may lead to public good.13. If Members are in possession of a confidential information owing to their being Members of Parliament or Members of Parliamentary Committees, they should not disclose such information for advancing their personal interests.13. Members should desist from giving certificates to individuals and institutions of which they have no personal knowledge and are not based on facts.13. Members should not lend ready support to any cause of which they have no or little knowledge.13. Members should not misuse the facilities and amenities made available to them.13. Members should not be disrespectful to any religion and work for the promotion of secular values.13. Members should keep uppermost in their mind the Fundamental Duties listed in Part IVA of the Constitution. 13. Members are expected to maintain high standards of morality, dignity, decency and values in public life.

1. In pursuance of the Rajya Sabha (Declaration of Assets and Liabilities) Rules, 2004 what information is required to be furnished by Members to the Chairman, Rajya Sabha?

Ans:Under Rule 3 of the Members of the Rajya Sabha (Declaration of Assets and Liabilities) Rules, 2004, every elected member of Rajya Sabha is required to furnish the following information to the Chairman, Rajya Sabha within 90 days from the date of his taking oath/affirmation 14. the movable and immovable property of which he, his spouse and his dependent children are jointly or severally owners or beneficiaries;14. his liabilities to any public financial institution; and14. his liabilities to the Central Government or to the State Governments 1. What are the pecuniary interests and the ingredients thereof, identified by the Committee on Ethics, in respect of which information is to be furnished by Members?

Ans: The Committee on Ethics has identified the following five pecuniary interests and the ingredients thereof, in respect of which information is to be furnished by Members for registration in the Register of Members Interests under sub-rule (1) of Rule 293 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Council of States:-IRemunerative DirectorshipName and address of the companyNature of company businessSalary/fees/allowance/benefits orany other receipts which are taxable (per annum)

IIRegular Remunerated ActivityName and address of the EstablishmentNature of businessPosition heldAmount of remuneration received (per annum)

IIIShareholding of Controlling Nature Name and address of the company Nature of business of the company Percentage of shares held

IVPaid ConsultancyName of consultancyBusiness activity of the organisationWhere engaged as ConsultantTotal value of benefits derived from the Consultancy

VProfessional EngagementDescriptionFee/Remuneration earned therefrom (per annum)

1. 1. Whether pecuniary interests of Members outside the country come under its purview?

Ans:Yes. Under the said Rule, information that Members furnish has to be in respect of their pecuniary interests, whether held within the country or outside.Legislation What is a Bill?

Ans:A Bill is a legislative proposal brought before the House for its approval. What are the types of Bills?

Ans:The Bills initiated by Ministers are called Government Bills and those introduced by Members who are not Ministers, are known asPrivate Members Bills.Depending on their contents, Bills may further be classified broadly into 1. original Bills which embody new proposals,2. amending Bills which seek toamend existing Acts,3. consolidating Bills which seek to consolidate existing law on a particular subject,4. Expiring Laws (Continuance) Bills which, otherwise, would expire on a specified date,5. repealing Bills,6. Bills to replace Ordinances,7. Money and financial Bills and8. Constitution Amendment Bills.

What is the difference between a Bill and an Act?

Ans:A Bill passed by both Houses of Parliament becomes an Act only after it has been assented to by the President. What are the steps involved in the passage of a Bill?

Ans:A Bill while being considered has to undergo three stages in each House ofParliament. The first stage is the Introduction, which is done on a motion moved by either a Minister or a Member.

During the second stage any of the following motions can be moved: that the Bill be taken into consideration; or that it be referred to a Select Committee of Rajya Sabha; or that it be referred to a Joint Committee of the two Houses; or that it be circulated for the purpose of eliciting opinion thereon. Thereafter, the Bill is taken up for the clause-by-clause consideration as introduced or as reported by the Select/Joint Committee.

The third stage is confined to the discussion on the motion that the Bill be passed and the Bill is passed/rejected either by voting or voice vote (or returned to Lok Sabha, in the case of a Money Bill). Does the Chairman have a right to cast a vote?

Ans:The Chairman has a casting vote in the case of an equality of votes. What are the methods of voting in Rajya Sabha?

Ans:In Rajya Sabha, generally four methods of voting are adopted: Voice vote, Counting, Division by automatic vote recorder and Division by going into the Lobbies What are the effects of dissolution of Lok Sabha on the Business of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:7. Bills originating in Rajya Sabha which are still pending in that House do not lapse on the dissolution of Lok Sabha.7. Bills originating in Rajya Sabha which having been passed by the House and transmitted to Lok Sabha and pending there lapse on the dissolution of Lok Sabha.7. Bills originating in Lok Sabha which having been passed by that House and transmitted to Rajya Sabha and still pending there on the date of dissolution of Lok Sabha, lapse.7. Bills originating in Rajya Sabha and returned to that House by Lok Sabha with amendments and still pending there on the date of its dissolution, lapse.7. A Bill upon which the Houses have disagreed and the President has notified his intention to summon a Joint Sitting of the Houses to consider the Bill prior to dissolution does not lapse on dissolution ofLok Sabha.7. A Bill passed by the two Houses of Parliament and sent to the President for assent does not lapse on the dissolution of Lok Sabha.7. A Bill returned by the President to Rajya Sabha for reconsideration of the Houses does not lapse if the dissolution of Lok Sabha takes place without the Houses having considered the Bill Procedure for raising Matters of Public Interest What is Calling Attention?

Ans:Rule 180 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha provides that a Member may with the previous permission of the Chairman call the attention of a Minister to any matter of urgent public importance and the Minister may make a brief statement or ask for time to make a statement at a later hour or date.The Calling Attention is an Indian innovation in the parliamentary procedure. What is Special Mention?

Ans:Under Rules 180A - 180E, a Member may mention a matter of public importance in the House; he has to give a notice in writing along with the text of the matter to be raised not exceeding 250 words. No member is permitted to make more than oneSpecial Mention during a week. What is a Motion?

Ans:Rules 167-174 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha provide that no discussion on a matter of general public interest shall take place except on a motion made with the consent of the Chairman.The term motion in parliamentary parlance means any proposal made for the purpose of eliciting a decision of the House.It is phrased in such a way that, if passed, it will purport to express the will of the House. What are the types of Motion?

Ans:Motions may be classified as Substantive or Subsidiary.A substantive motion is a self-contained proposal made in reference to a subject which the mover wishes to bring forward.A subsidiary motion as its name suggests, relates to a substantive motion. What is No-Day-Yet-Named-Motion?

Ans:If the Chairman admits notice of a motion and no date is fixedfor the discussion on such a motion, it is immediately notified in the Bulletin Pt. II under the headingNo-Day-Yet-Named-Motion Date and time is allotted for discussion on such motions by the Chairman, in consultation with the Leader of the House after taking into consideration the state of business before the House. What is a Resolution?

Ans:The House declares its own opinions and purposes by its resolutions.Every question, when agreed to, by the House, assumes the form of either a resolution or an order.Resolutions may be categorized as: Private Members Resolutions (which are moved by a member not a Minister); Government Resolutions (which are moved by Ministers); and Statutory Resolutions (which are moved in pursuance of a provision contained in the Constitution or an Act of Parliament). What is the President's Address?

Ans:The President of India addresses both Houses of Parliament assembled together at the commencement of the first session after a new Lok Sabha has been constituted and also at the commencement of first session each year.The matters referred to in the Presidents Address to the Houses are discussed on a Motion of Thanks moved by a Member and seconded by another Member. What is point of order?

Ans:A Point of Order is a point relating to the interpretation or enforcement of the Rules of Procedure or such articles of the Constitution as regulate the business of the House and submitted to the decision of the Chair. Rule 258 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha makes a provision to enable a member to raise a point of order. Any member may at any time submit a point of order for the decision of the Chairman, but in doing so, shall confine himself to stating the point. The Chairman shall decide all points of order which may arise, and his decision shall be final. What is Dilatory Motion?

Ans:Rule 230 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha explains Dilatory motion. At any time after a motion has been made, a member may move that the debate on the motion be adjourned. If the Chairman is of opinion that a motion for the adjournment of a debate is an abuse of the rules of the Council, he may either forthwith put the question thereon from the Chair or decline to propose the question. What is a Short Duration Discussion?

Ans:Rules 176-179 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha explains about the short duration discussion. If the Chairman is satisfied, after calling for such information from the member who has given notice and from the Minister as he may consider necessary, that the matter is urgent and is of sufficient public importance to be raised in the Council at an early date, he may admit the notice and in consultation with the Leader of the Council fix the date on which such matter may be taken up for discussion and allow such time for discussion, not exceeding two and a half hours, as he may consider appropriate in the circumstances. How does a member ask a question in Rajya Sabha?

Ans:He has to give a notice about it on a prescribed form at least 15 days before he wants to ask question. What are starred and unstarred questions?

Ans:A question for which an oral answer is desired by a member is distinguished by an asterisk and is called a starred question.A question without an asterisk is called unstarred and is admitted for written answers. Who decides the admissibility of questions?

Ans:The Chairman, Rajya Sabha decides whether a question or a part thereof is or is not admissible. He may disallow any question or a part thereof when, in his opinion, it is an abuse of the right of questioning or calculated to obstruct or prejudicially affect the procedure of the House or is in contravention of the rules under the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business ofthe Council of States(Rajya Sabha). The Chairman may direct that a question be placed on the list of questions for answers, on a date later than that specified by a member in his notice, if he is of the opinion that a longer period is necessary to decide whether the question is or is not admissible. What is the total limit of questions admitted for a particular day?

Ans:The total number of questions to be admitted for any one day shall be limited to 175, of which 20 would be for oral answers and 155 for written answers.Parliamentary Privileges What are parliamentary privileges?

Ans:Each House of Parliament collectively and the Members individually, enjoy certain powers and privileges without which they may not be able to discharge their functions, efficiently and effectively.Article 105 of the Constitution deals withsuch powers, privileges and immunities of Members of Parliament. Are the parliamentary privileges codified in India?

Ans:No law so far has been enacted by Parliament (and State Legislatures) to define the powers, privileges and immunities available to each House, its Members and Committees thereof. What is the difference between the Breach of Privilege and Contempt of the House?

Ans:When any of the privileges either of the Members individually or of the House in its collective capacity are disregarded or attacked by any individual or authority, the offence is called a breach of privilege. Any obstruction or impediment put before Houses or its Members in due discharge of their duties, or which have a tendency of producing such result, may amount to contempt of the House. What is the procedure regarding a question of privilege?

Ans:The procedure for dealing with a question of privilege is laid down inRule 187 203 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in Rajya Sabha.A question of privilege may either be consideredand decided by the House itself or it may be referred to the Committee of Privileges by the Chairman for examination, investigation and report.Media and Rajya Sabha Are the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha televised?

Ans:Yes. An exclusive satellite channel of Doordarshan, namely, DD Rajya Sabha on National Network of Doordarshan was launched on 14 December 2004 which telecasts the live proceedings of the House. Right to Information and Rajya Sabha Secretariat Whether the functioning of Rajya Sabha Secretariat comes under the purview of the Right to Information Act, 2005?

Ans:Yes, functioning of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat comes under the purview of the Right to Information Act, 2005. To facilitate the supply of information to anyone desirous of getting it, the Chairman, Rajya Sabha has made rules for the Secretariat as per Section 28 of the Act. Who are the persons to be contacted and what are their details?

Ans:Contact Persons in this regard are as follows:-

Shri Deepak Goyal Director (Central Public Information Officer of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat)201, Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi-110001Tel. No. 011-23034201

Shri Mahesh Chandra TiwariJoint Director (Central Assistant Public Information Officer)528A , Parliament House Annexe, New Delhi-110001Tel. No. 011-23034353

Shri N.C. Joshi Secretary (Appellate Authority in the Rajya Sabha Secretariat)34, Parliament House, New Delhi-110001Tel. No. 011-23034604 23011328 (telefax)

Parliamentary Forums What is a Parliamentary Forum? At present, how many such forums are there?

Ans:A Parliamentary Forum is a group of Members of Parliament who are nominated by the Speaker, Lok Sabha and the Chairman, Rajya Sabha, as the case may be, from amongst the Leaders of various Political Parties/Groups or their nominees who have special knowledge/keen interest in the subject. Each Forum consists of not more than 31 Members (excluding the President and ex officio Vice-Presidents) out of whom not more than 21 are from Lok Sabha and not more than 10 are from Rajya Sabha

There are at present five Parliamentary Fora, viz.1. Parliamentary Forum on Water Conservation and Management;2. Parliamentary Forum on Children;3. Parliamentary Forum on Youth; 4. Parliamentary Forum on Population and Public Health; and 5. Parliamentary Forum on Global Warming and Climate Change. How are the forums distinct from the Parliamentary Committees?

Ans:Unlike the Department-related Committees which are governed by the Rules of Procedure, these forums are governed by a separate set of guidelines issued by the Speaker, Lok Sabha in consultation with the Chairman, Rajya Sabha. Contacting Rajya Sabha Where do I get more information on members of Rajya Sabha?

Ans: The Rajya Sabha Website: http://rajyasabha.nic.in has a section on members which has a search form for getting information on members. How can I get in touch with a member of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:The Rajya Sabha Website: http://rajyasabha.nic.in gives a list of Addresses and E-mail of members of Rajya Sabha. Where do I get information regarding the sessions of Rajya Sabha?

Ans:The Rajya Sabha Website: http://rajyasabha.nic.in has a section on Legislation which contains the Sessional Information. Whether the Rajya Sabha website is available in Hindi?

Ans:Yes. Its address is http://rajyasabhahindi.nic.in/rshindi/hindipage.asp Who maintains the Rajya Sabha Website and how do I send a feedback?

Ans:The Rajya Sabha Website is designed and maintained by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), Parliament Informatics Division for the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. The Website has a facility for sending feedback regarding the Website.Council of States (Rajya Sabha)BackgroundThe Council of States which is also known as Rajya Sabha, a nomenclature that was announced by the chair in the House on the 23rd August, 1954 has its own distinctive features. The origin of the second Chamber can be traced to the Montague-Chelmsford Report of 1918. The Government of India Act, 1919 provided for the creation of a Council of State as a second chamber of the then legislature with a restricted franchise which actually came into existence in 1921. The Governor-General was the ex-officio President of the then Council of State. The Government of India Act, 1935, hardly made any changes in its composition. The Constituent Assembly, which first met on 9 December 1946, also acted as the Central Legislature till 1950, when it was converted as Provisional Parliament. During this period, the Central Legislature which was known as Constituent Assembly (Legislative) and later Provisional Parliament was unicameral till the first elections were held in 1952.Extensive debate took place in the Constituent Assembly regarding the utility or otherwise of a Second Chamber in Independent India and ultimately, it was decided to have a bicameral legislature for independent India mainly because a federal system was considered to be most feasible form of Government for such a vast country with immense diversities. A single directly elected House, in fact, was considered inadequate to meet the challenges before free India. A second chamber known as the Council of States, therefore, was created with altogether different composition and method of election from that of the directly elected House of the People. It was conceived as another Chamber, with smaller membership than the Lok Sabha (House of the People). It was meant to be the federal chamber i.e., a House elected by the elected members of Assemblies of the States and two Union Territories in which States were not given equal representation. Apart from the elected members, provision was also made for the nomination of twelve members to the House by the President. The minimum age of thirty years was fixed for membership as against twenty-five years for the Lower House. The element of dignity and prestige was added to the Council of State House by making the Vice-President of India ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha who presides over its sittings.Constitutional Provisions relating to Rajya SabhaComposition/StrengthArticle 80 of the Constitution lays down the maximum strength of Rajya Sabha as 250, out of which 12 members are nominated by the President and 238 are representatives of the States and of the two Union Territories. The present strength of Rajya Sabha, however, is 245, out of which 233 are representatives of the States and Union territories of Delhi and Puducherry and 12 are nominated by the President. The members nominated by the President are persons having special knowledge or practical experience in respect of such matters as literature, science, art and social service.Allocation of SeatsThe Fourth Schedule to the Constitution provides for allocation of seats to the States and Union Territories in Rajya Sabha. The allocation of seats is made on the basis of the population of each State. Consequent on the reorganization of States and formation of new States, the number of elected seats in the Rajya Sabha allotted to States and Union Territories has changed from time to time since 1952. EligibilityQualificationsArticle 84 of the Constitution lays down the qualifications for membership of Parliament. A person to be qualified for the membership of the Rajya Sabha should posses the following qualifications:1. he must be a citizen of India and make and subscribe before some person authorized in that behalf by the Election Commission an oath or affirmation according to the form set out for the purpose in the Third Schedule to the Constitution;2. he must be not less than 30 years of age;3. he must possess such other qualifications as may be prescribed in that behalf by or under any law made by Parliament.DisqualificationsArticle 102 of the Constitution lays down that a person shall be disqualified for being chosen as, and for being, a member of either House of Parliament 1. if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State, other than an office declared by Parliament by law not to disqualify its holder;2. if he is of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court;3. if he is an undischarged insolvent;4. if he is not a citizen of India, or has voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a foreign State, or is under any acknowledgement of allegiance or adherence to a foreign State;5. if he is so disqualified by or under any law made by Parliament. Explanation- For the purpose of this clause a person shall not be deemed to hold an office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State by reason only that he is a Minister either for the Union or for such State.Besides, the Tenth Schedule to Constitution provides for disqualification of the members on ground of defection. As per the provisions of the Tenth Schedule, a member may be disqualified as a member, if he voluntarily gives up the membership of his political party; or if he votes or abstains from voting in the House contrary to any direction issued by the political party to which he belongs, unless such voting or abstention has been condoned by the political party within fifteen days. A member elected as an independent candidate shall be disqualified if he joins any political party after his election.A member nominated to the House by the President, however, is allowed to join a political party if he/she does so within the first six months of taking seat in the House.A member shall not be disqualified on this account, if he voluntarily leaves the membership of his political party after he is elected Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha. Process for Election/NominationElectoral College:The representatives of the States and of the Union Territories in the Rajya Sabha are elected by the method of indirect election. The representatives of each State and two Union territories are elected by the elected members of the Legislative Assembly of that State and by the members of the Electoral College for that Union Territory, as the case may be, in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. The Electoral College for the National Capital Territory of Delhi consists of the elected members of the Legislative Assembly of Delhi, and that for Puducherry consists of the elected members of the Puducherry Legislative Assembly.Biennial/Bye-election Rajya Sabha is a permanent House and is not subject to dissolution. However, one-third Members of Rajya Sabha retire after every second year. A member who is elected for a full term serves for a period of six years. The election held to fill a vacancy arising otherwise than by retirement of a member on the expiration of his term of office is called Bye-election. A member elected in a bye-election remains member for the remainder of the term of the member who had resigned or died or disqualified to be member of the House under the Tenth Schedule.Presiding Officers - Chairman and Deputy ChairmanThe Presiding Officers of Rajya Sabha have the responsibility to conduct the proceedings of the House. The Vice-President of India is ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha. Rajya Sabha also chooses from amongst its members, a Deputy Chairman. There is also a Panel of Vice-Chairmen in Rajya Sabha, the members of which are nominated by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha. In the absence of the Chairman and Deputy Chairman, a member from the Panel of Vice-Chairmen presides over the proceedings of the House. Secretary-GeneralThe Secretary-General is appointed by the Chairman of Rajya Sabha and holds rank equivalent to the highest civil servant of the Union. The Secretary-General works with anonymity and is readily available to the Presiding Officers for rendering advice on parliamentary matters. The Secretary-General is also the administrative head of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat and the custodian of the records of the House. He works under the direction and control of the Chairman, Rajya Sabha.Relation between the two HousesUnder article 75(3) of the Constitution, the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to Lok Sabha which means Rajya Sabha cannot make or unmake the Government. It can, however, exercise control over the Government and this function becomes quite prominent, particularly when the Government does not enjoy majority in Rajya Sabha.To resolve a deadlock between the two Houses, in case of an ordinary legislation, the Constitution provides for the joint sitting of both Houses. In fact, there have been three occasions in the past when the Houses of Parliament had met in joint sitting to resolve differences between them. Issues in joint sitting are decided by a majority of the total number of members of both Houses present and voting. The joint sitting is held in the Central Hall of Parliament House presided over by the Speaker, Lok Sabha. However, in the case of a Money Bill, there is no provision in the Constitution for a joint sitting of both Houses as Lok Sabha clearly enjoys pre-eminence over Rajya Sabha in financial matters. As regards a Constitution amendment Bill, it has been provided in the Constitution that such a Bill has to be passed by the specific majority, as prescribed under article 368 of the Constitution, by both Houses. There is, therefore, no provision for resolving a deadlock between the two Houses in regard to a Constitution amendment Bill.Ministers may belong to either House of Parliament. The Constitution does not make any distinction between the Houses in this regard. Every Minister has the right to speak and take part in the proceedings of either House but he is entitled to vote only in the House of which he is a member.Similarly, with regard to powers, privileges and immunities of the Houses of Parliament, their members and committees thereof, the two Houses are placed absolutely on equal footing by the Constitution.Other important matters in respect of which both Houses enjoy equal powers are election and impeachment of the President, election of the Vice-President, approving the Proclamation of Emergency, the proclamation regarding failure of constitutional machinery in States and financial emergency. In respect of receiving reports and papers from various statutory authorities, etc., both Houses have equal powers.It is thus clear that except in the case of collective responsibility of the Council of Ministers and certain financial matters, which fall in the domain of Lok Sabha only, both Houses enjoy equal powers. Special Powers of Rajya SabhaRajya Sabha being a federal chamber enjoys certain special powers under the Constitution. All the subjects/areas regarding legislation have been divided into three Lists - Union List, State List and concurrent List. Union and State Lists are mutually exclusive - one cannot legislate on a matter placed in the sphere of the other. However, if Rajya Sabha passes a resolution by a majority of not less than two-thirds of members present and voting saying that it is necessary or expedient in the national interest that Parliament should make a law on a matter enumerated in the State List, Parliament becomes empowered to make a law on the subject specified in the resolution, for the whole or any part of the territory of India. Such a resolution remains in force for a maximum period of one year but this period can be extended by one year at a time by passing a similar resolution further.If Rajya Sabha passes a resolution by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting declaring that it is necessary or expedient in the national interest to create one or more All India Services common to the Union and the States, Parliament becomes empowered to create by law such services.Under the Constitution, the President is empowered to issue Proclamations in the event of national emergency, in the event of failure of constitutional machinery in a State, or in the case of financial emergency. Every such proclamation has to be approved by both Houses of Parliament within a stipulated period. Under certain circumstances, however, Rajya Sabha enjoys special powers in this regard. If a Proclamation is issued at a time when Lok Sabha has been dissolved or the dissolution of Lok Sabha takes place within the period allowed for its approval, then the proclamation remains effective, if the resolution approving it is passed by Rajya Sabha within the period specified in the Constitution under articles 352, 356 and 360.Rajya Sabha in Financial MattersA Money Bill can be introduced only in Lok Sabha. After it is passed by that House, it is transmitted to Rajya Sabha for its concurrence or recommendation. The power of Rajya Sabha in respect of such a Bill is limited. Rajya Sabha has to return such a Bill to Lok Sabha within a period of fourteen days from its receipt. If it is not returned to Lok Sabha within that time, the Bill is deemed to have been passed by both Houses at the expiration of the said period in the form in which it was passed by Lok Sabha. Again, Rajya Sabha cannot amend a Money Bill; it can only recommend amendments and Lok Sabha may either accept or reject all or any of the recommendations made by Rajya Sabha.Apart from a Money Bill, certain other categories of Financial Bills also cannot be introduced in Rajya Sabha. There are, however, some other types of Financial Bills on which there is no limitation on the powers of the Rajya Sabha. These Bills may be initiated in either House and Rajya Sabha has powers to reject or amend such Financial Bills like any other Bill. Of course, such Bills cannot be passed by either House of Parliament unless the President has recommended to that House the consideration thereof.From all this, however, it does not follow that Rajya Sabha has nothing to do in matters relating to finance. The Budget of the Government of India is laid every year before Rajya Sabha also and its members discuss it. Though Rajya Sabha does not vote on Demands for Grants of various Ministries - a matter exclusively reserved for Lok Sabha - no money, however, can be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund of India unless the Appropriation Bill has been passed by both the Houses. Similarly, the Finance Bill is also brought before Rajya Sabha. Besides, the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees that examine the annual Demands for Grants of the Ministries/Departments are joint committees having ten members from Rajya Sabha. Leader of the HouseApart from the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman, Leader of the House is another functionary who plays important role in the efficient and smooth conduct of the business in the House. The Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha is normally the Prime Minister, if he is its member or any Minister who is a member of the House and is nominated by him to so function. His primary responsibility is to maintain coordination amongst all sections of the House for a harmonious and meaningful debate in the House. For this purpose, he remains in close contact not only with the Government but also with the Opposition, individual ministers and the Presiding Officer. He occupies the first seat in the Chamber in first row at right the side of the Chair so that he is easily available to the Presiding Officer for consultation. Under the rules, the Leader of the House is consulted by the Chairman in regard to the arrangement of Government business in the House, allotment of days or allocation of time for discussion on the Presidents Address, Private Members business on any day other than Friday, discussion on No Day-Yet-Named Motions, Short Duration Discussions and consideration and return of a Money Bill. He is also consulted by the Chairman in the matter of adjournment or otherwise of the House for the day in case of death of an outstanding personality, national leader or international dignitary. In the era of coalition governments, his task has become more challenging. He ensures that all possible and reasonable facilities are made available to the House for a meaningful discussion on any matter that is brought before it. He works as the spokesperson of the House in expressing sense of the House and represents it on ceremonial or formal occasions. The following members have been the Leaders of the House in the Rajya Sabha:NameFromTo

1.Shri N. Gopalaswami AyyangarMay 1952 Feb. 1953

2.Shri Charu Chandra BiswasFeb. 1953 Nov. 1954

3.Shri Lal Bahadur ShastriNov. 1954 March 1955

4.Shri Govind Ballabh PantMarch 1955Feb. 1961

5.Hafiz Mohammad IbrahimFeb. 1961 Aug. 1963

6.Shri Yashwantrao Balwantrao ChavanAug. 1963Dec. 1963

7.Shri Jaisukhlal HathiFeb. 1964March 1964

8.Shri Mahomadali Currim ChaglaMarch 1964 Nov. 1967

9.Shri Jaisukhlal HathiNov. 1967 Nov. 1969

10.Shri Kodradas Kalidas ShahNov. 1969 May 1971

11.Shri Uma Shankar DikshitMay 1971 Dec. 1975

12.Shri Kamlapati TripathiDec. 1975 March 1977

13.Shri Lal K. AdvaniMarch 1977 Aug. 1979

14.Shri K.C. PantAug. 1979 Jan. 1980

15.Shri Pranab MukherjeeJan. 1980July 1981

Aug. 1981 Dec. 1984

16.Shri Vishwanath Pratap SinghDec. 1984 April 1987

17.Shri N.D. TiwariApril 1987 June 1988

18.Shri P. Shiv ShankerJuly 1988 Dec. 1989

19.Shri M.S. GurupadaswamyDec. 1989 Nov. 1990

20.Shri Yashwant SinhaDec. 1990 June 1991

21.Shri S.B. ChavanJuly 1991 April 1996

22.Shri Sikander Bakht 20th May 1996 31st May 1996

23.Shri Inder Kumar GujralJune 1996 Nov. 1996

24.Shri H.D. Deve GowdaNov. 1996 April 1997

25.Shri Inder Kumar GujralApril 1997 March 1998

26.Shri Sikander BakhtMarch 1998 Oct. 1999

27.Shri Jaswant SinghOct. 1999 May 2004

28.Dr. Manmohan SinghJune 2004till date

Leader of the Opposition (LOP)The office of the Leader of the Opposition in a legislature is of great public importance. Its importance emanates from the central role accorded to the Opposition in a parliamentary democracy. The role of the Leader of the Opposition, in fact, is more difficult as he has to criticize, find fault and present alternative proposals/policies with no power to implement them. He has, thus, to perform a special responsibility to Parliament and to the nation.In Rajya Sabha until 1969, there was no Leader of the Opposition in real sense of the term. Till then, the practice was to call the Leader of the party in Opposition having the largest number of the members as the Leader of the Opposition, without according him any formal recognition, status or privilege. The office of Leader of the Opposition was given official recognition through the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of the Opposition in Parliament Act, 1977. This Act defines the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, as a member of the Council of States who is, for the time being, the Leader in that House of the party in opposition to the Government constituting the greatest numerical strength and recognized as such by the Chairman of the Council of States. Thus, the Leader of the Opposition should satisfy three conditions, namely, (i) he should be a member of the House (ii) the Leader in Rajya Sabha of the party in opposition to the Government having the greatest numerical strength and (iii) be recognized as such by the Chairman, Rajya Sabha. The following members have been the Leaders of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha:NameFromTo

1Shri Shyam Nandan MishraDecermber 1969March 1971

2Shri M. S. GurupadaswamyMarch 1971April 1972

3Shri Mamlapati Tripathi30.3.197715.2.1978

4Shri Bhola Paswan Shastri24.2.197823.3.1978

5Shri Kamlapati Tripathi23.3.19782.4.1978

18.4.19788.1.1980

6Shri Lal K. Advani21.1.19807.4.1980

7Shri P. Shiv Shanker18.12.19892.1.1991

8Shri M. S. Gurupadaswamy28.6.199121.7.1991

9Shri. S. Jaipal Reddy22.7.199129.6.1992

10Shri Sikander Bakht7.7.199210.4.1996

10.4.199623.5.1996

11Shri S. B. Chavan23.5.19961.6.1996

12Shri Sikander Bakht1.6.199619.3.1998

13Dr. Manmohan Singh21.3.199821.5.2004

14Shri Jaswant Singh3.6.20044.7.2004

5.7.200416.5.2009

15Shri. Arun Jaitley3.6.2009till date

Rajya Sabha has played a constructive and effective role in our polity. Its performance in the legislative field and in influencing the Government policies has been quite significant. Rajya Sabha has, in fact, worked in a spirit of cooperation with Lok Sabha as per the Constitutional mandate. Rajya Sabha has prevented hasty legislation and has served as dignified chamber representing the federal principle. As a federal chamber, it has worked for the unity and integrity of the nation and has reinforced the faith of the people in parliamentary democracy. FORMER CHAIRMEN OF THE RAJYA SABHA

NAMETERMS

Dr.Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan 13.5.1952 to 12.5.1957

13.5.1957 to 12.5.1962

Dr.Zakir Husain 13.5.1962 to 12.5.1967

Shri Varahagir Venkata Giri 13.5.1967 to 3.5.1969

Shri Gopal Swarup Pathak 31.8.1969 to 30.8.1974

Shri Basappa Danappa Jatti 31.8.1974 to 30.8.1979

Shri M Hidayatullah 31.8.1979 to 30.8.1984

Shri R.Venkataraman 31.8.1984 to 24.7.1987

Dr.Shanker Dayal Sharma 3.9.1987 to 24.7.1992

Shri K.R. Narayanan 21.8.1992 to 24.7.1997

Shri Krishan Kant 21.8.1997 to 27.7.2002

Shri Bhairon SinghShekhawat 19.8.2002 to 21.7.2007

Important Parliamentary Terms (1) "Act"--A Bill passed by both Houses of Parliament and assented to by the President.

(2) Ad hoc Committee- A Committee constituted by the House or by the Chairman or by the presiding officers of both the Houses jointly to consider and report on specific matter and becomes functus officio as soon as the task is completed.

(3) "Adjournment of Debate"--Adjournment on a motion adopted by the House, of the debate on a Motion/Resolution/Bill on which the House is then engaged until a future day or sine die as specified in the motion.(4) "Adjournment of the sitting of the House"- Termination of the sitting of the House which meets again at the time appointed for the next sitting.

(5) "Adjournment sine die"-Termination of a sitting of the House without any definite date being fixed for the next sitting.

(6) "Appropriation Bill"- A Money Bill passed annually (or at various times of the year) providing for the withdrawal or appropriation from and out of the Consolidated Fund of India, of moneys, voted by Lok Sabha and moneys charged on the Consolidated Fund for the services of a financial year or a part of a financial year.

(7) Ballot- A process to determine inter se priority of more than one notice through a draw of lot.

(8) "Bill"--The draft of a legislative proposal put in the proper form which, when passed by both Houses of Parliament and assented to by the President becomes an Act.

(9) "Budget"-Annual financial statement of the estimated receipts and expenditure of the Government of India in respect of a financial year. The Budget is laid in Rajya Sabha in two parts viz., the Railway Budget and the General Budget.

(10) "Bulletin"-Bulletin means the Bulletin of Rajya Sabha. It is published in two parts. Part I contains a brief record of the proceedings of the House at each of its sittings; and Part II contains information on any matter relating to or connected with the business of the House or Committees or other matter which in the opinion of the Chairman may be included therein.

(11) "Calendar of Sittings"- A calendar showing the provisional days on which Rajya Sabha is to sit and the nature of business to be transacted by it on those days.

(12) Calling Attention A procedure whereby a Member calls the attention of a Minister to a matter of urgent public importance , the Minister makes a brief statement thereon and thereafter the Members seek clarifications.

(13) "Casting Vote"-The vote cast by the Chairman, or a Member acting as such in the House and by the Chairman or a Member acting as such in a Committee, in the case of an equality of votes on a matter.

(14) "Crossing the floor"--Passing between the member addressing the House and the Chair which is considered breach of Parliamentary etiquette.

(15) Demand for Grants-Earmarking of budgetary allocation for meeting the plan and non-plan expenditure of a Ministry/Department.

(16) "Division"-The mode of arriving at a decision on a proposed measure or question before the House by recording votes for or against it.

(17) "Draw of lot" - A method applied to determine the relative precedence of private members' Bills and Resolutions, notices of questions, half-an-hour discussions or any other notice given by more than one member simultaneously for being taken up on the same day.

(18) "Expunction"-Deletion of words, phrases or expressions from the proceedings or records of Rajya Sabha by an order of the Chairman for being defamatory or indecent or unparliamentary or undignified.

(19) "Finance Bill"-A Bill ordinarily introduced every year to give effect to the financial proposals of the Government of India for the following financial year and includes a Bill to give effect to supplementary financial proposals for any period.

(20) "Financial Business" The financial business of the House consists of the laying of the Railway and General Budgets and statements of supplementary Demands for Grants on the Table after they are presented to the Lok Sabha, general discussion on the General and Railway Budgets, consideration and return of connected Appropriate Bills and Finance Bills, laying of Budges, etc. of States which are under the Presidents Rule.

(21) "Gazette"-The Gazette of India.

(22) Half-an-Hour Discussion-A Member with the permission of the Chairman may raise a discussion on a matter of sufficient public importance which has been the subject of a recent oral or written question and the answer to which needs elucidation on a matter of fact.

(23) "Leader of the Council"-The Prime Minister, if he is a member of the Council or a Minister who is a member of the Council and is nominated by the Prime Minister to function as the Leader of the Council.(24) "Leader of the Opposition"-A Member of the House, who is, for the time being, the leader in that House of the Party in opposition to the Government having the greatest numerical strength and recognised as such by the Chairman.

(25) Leave of absence-A member wishing to obtain permission of the House for remaining absent from its sittings is required to make an application stating the reasons and the period for which he may be permitted to be absent from the sittings of the House.

(26) "Legislative Business" Introduction, consideration and passing of a bill, piloted by a Minister or a Private Member, in the House.

(27) "List of Business"- A list of items of business scheduled to be taken up in Rajya Sabha on a particular day of the sittings in the order in which they stand on it. (28) "Lobby"-The covered corridor immediately adjoining the Chamber and co-terminus with it.

(29) "Maiden Speech"-The first speech of a member after his election/nomination to the Rajya Sabha in the House.

(30) Matters raised with permission- Immediately after the Question Hour and laying of papers, a Member may raise an issue of urgent public importance with the prior permission of the Chairman.

(31) "Member in charge of the Bill"-The Minister/Private Member who has introduced the government/Private Members Bill.

(32) "Memorandum of business" It is meant for the use of the Chair to help him while calling the items listed in the Agenda paper of the day.

(33) "Message"-A communication from the President to a House or Houses of Parliament under articles 86(2) and 111 of the Constitution and a communication sent from one House of Parliament to the other House.

(34) "Motion"-A formal proposal made to the House by a Minister or a member that the House do something, order something to be done or express an opinion with regard to some matter, and is so phrased that, if adopted, it will purport to express the judgment or will of the House.

(35) "Motion of Thanks"-A formal motion moved in the House, expressing its gratitude to the President for the Address delivered by him/her under article 87(1) of the Constitution to both Houses of Parliament assembled together.

(36) "Naming a Member"-The drawing of attention of the House by the Chairman to the conduct of a member who disregards the authority of the Chair or abuses the Rules of the House by persistently and willfully obstructing the business thereof, with a view to action being taken to suspend him from the service of the House for a period not exceeding the remainder of the session.

(37) "Ordinance"-A law made by the President in exercise of the powers vested in him under article 123 of the Constitution.

(38) "Panel of Vice-Chairmen"- A panel of six members of Rajya Sabha nominated by the Chairman, any one of whom may preside over the House in the absence of the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman when so requested by the Chairman, or in his absence, by the Deputy Chairman.

(39) "Papers laid on the Table"-The papers or documents laid on the Table of the House for purpose of bringing them on the record of the House by a Minister or by a private member or by the Secretary-General with the permission of the Chairman in pursuance of the provisions of the Constitution or the Rules of Procedure of Rajya Sabha or an Act of Parliament and the Rules and Regulations made thereunder.

(40) "Personal explanation" - A Member or a Minister against whom comments or criticism of a personal nature are made on the floor of the House is entitled to make, with the consent of the Chairman, personal explanation in his defence.

(41) "Point of Order"- A point relating to the interpretation or enforcement of the Rules of Procedure or such articles of the Constitution as regulate the business of the House raised in the House and submitted for the decision of the Chair.

(42) "Precincts of Rajya Sabha"-This includes the Chamber, the Lobbies, the Galleries and such other places as the Chairman may from time to time specify.

(43) Private Members Resolution- A resolution, on a matter of general public interest, a Member, other than a Minister, on a day allotted for Private Members Resolutions which is in the form of a declaration of opinion by the House or in such other form as the Chairman may consider appropriate.

(44) "Prorogation"-The termination of a session of Rajya Sabha by an order made by the President under article 85(2)(a) of the Constitution.

(45) "Putting the Question"-When debate on a question is closed, the Chairman, rising from the Chair, states or reads the question to the House, beginning with "The question is, that".

(46) "Question Chart"-A chart circulated to members, along with the Summons for a Session, which indicates the dates for answering questions and the last date for receiving notices of questions pertaining to various Ministries/ Departments.

(47) "Question Hour"-The first hour of a sitting of the House allotted for asking and answering of questions.

(48) "Question of Privilege"-A question involving a breach of privilege either of a member or of the House or of a Committee thereof or a contempt of the House.

(49) "Quorum"-The minimum number of members required to be present at a sitting of the House or a Committee for valid transaction of its business, which is one-tenth of the total number of members of the House, as provided under article 100(3) of the Constitution.

(50) "Rajya Sabha debate" A verbatim record of everything said in the House is reported by the official Reporter for each of the sittings of the Rajya Sabha, except certain words, phrases and expression, if any, ordered by the Chair to be expunged or ordered by the Chairman not to be recorded, when Members speak without his permissions.

(51) "Roll of Members"-A register in which newly elected members sign, after making and subscribing the oath or affirmation and before taking their seats for the first time in the House.

(52) "Session"-A session of Rajya Sabha comprises the period commencing from the date and time mentioned in the order of the President summoning Rajya Sabha and ending with the day on which the President prorogues Rajya Sabha.

(53) Short Duration Discussion-For raising a discussion on a matter of urgent public importance for which a notice has to be given by a Member supported by two other Members specifying clearly and precisely the matter to be raised.

(54) "Short Notice Question"-A question relating to a matter of urgent public importance asked for oral answer by a Member with shorter notice than fifteen clear days by giving the reasons for asking the question with short notice.

(55) "Sitting of the House"-A sitting of the House is duly constituted when it is presided over by the Chairman or a member competent to preside over a sitting of the House under the Constitution or the Rules of Procedure of Rajya Sabha.

(56) Special Mention-A procedure available to a Member who wishes to mention a matter of public importance in the House by reading out from the text not exceeding 250 words.

(57) Standing Committee- Committee constituted by election by the House or nomination by the Chairman every year or from time to time which are permanent in nature.

(58) "Starred Question"-A question to which a member wishes to have an oral answer on the floor of the House and which is distinguished by an asterisk.

(59) "Statutory Resolution"-A resolution in pursuance of a provision in the Constitution or an Act of Parliament.

(60) "Subordinate Legislation"--Rules, regulations, orders, schemes, bye-laws, etc. having the force of law, framed by the Executive or other subordinate authority in pursuance of the power conferred on it by the Constitution or delegated to it by an Act of Parliament.

(61) "Summons"--An official communication issued by the Secretary-General of Rajya Sabha under the orders of the President to the Members of Rajya Sabha informing them of the place, date and time of the commencement of a session of Rajya Sabha.

(62) "Supplementary question" A Question asked by any member when called by the Chairman for the purpose of further elucidating any matter of fact regarding which an answer has been given during the question hour.

(63) "Table of the House"--The Table just in front of the desk of the Secretary-General below the Chairman's Chair, on which papers which are required to be laid on the Table of the House, are deemed to be placed.

(64) "Unstarred Question"--A question which is not called for oral answer in the House and the written answer to such a question is deemed to have been laid on the Table.

(65) Valedictory remarks-It is customary in every Session for the Chair to make the Valedictory remarks at the end of Session thanking Members and leaders of parties and groups for their cooperation in the conduct of business of the House.

(66) "Whips" Members drawn from the party in power and the parties/groups in opposition to perform specified functions and form vital links in the internal organization of a party inside Parliament.