Rajya sabha

Rajya sabha	Council of States Falling Productivity Data: Passed 154 bills since june 2014 Less than 1 bill in two sittings 2004-09: 251 bills 2009-2014: 188 bills Unable to function for 40% of the allocated time
Current	Motion of thanks: amended (current) United group of RS has been recognized of 22 members
Relevance	Reviser and reviewing, revaluation house Hasty and ill conceived Popular pressure Expertise by the way of nominated members Complex legislation Checks and balance: on lower house and government of the day Calm and informed deliberation, less political compulsion Balancing wheel of Federalism and Centre-State relation and other diversity Representation: to various constituencies which do not gets represented () Stability: permanent in nature
Critique	Federal chamber with number of non-federal features UTs Nominated member Unequal representation of state (less voice for smaller states) Why equal: Few big states have the tendencies to overpower the RS and thus the legislative procedure Neglect of smaller states in the house of states Against: Federalism is not the result of contract. may increase the demand for smaller states. Small states may obstruct the process. Against the democratic principle of one people one vote. Domicile qualification removed (from regional representation to party loyalty) Punchhi Commission: Restoring domicile norm as before 2003 Failed to check encroachment of centre on states domain More party allegiance rather than loyalty to states Concurrent list and state list Revisory function has been poor, reduced significance Money bill Ordinance Joint sitting Party politics (disruption) Anti defection Not able to establish separate identity Haven for capitalist, burnt out politicians, retired bureaucrats, Vijya Mallya Downgrading RS as House of opposition (GST) Delay, disruption Unelected house cannot hold veto power over LS Abuse of nomination power Election Horse trading Cross voting Relevance of the RS has been decreasing because of the provisions like Money bill etc Frequent disruptions Hindrance to speedy legislation by opposition parties
Solution	In addition to representation and accountability, the Upper House must reflect the difference in our Polity Some constituencies like Women, Muslims, Pwd, ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities. as well as Jammu Kashmir, North East, Urban Informal Labour, rural poor these can be given representation in the RS RS can be the voice of sanctity, of excluded and of citizen rights Punchi Commission: Restoring domicile norm as before 2003 Better representation of smaller states Enhanced monitoring by election commission Money bill: to declare it as a money bill need for a consultative committee Do away with Anti-defection with the RS Sustained evaluation of performance Performance related pay Stricter rules of procedure and conduct of business
way forward