Identify the incorrect statement regarding Council of States (Rajya Sabha).
- (1)Dr. S. Radhakrishnan is the only Chairman of Rajya Sabha for two consecutive terms.
- (2)For the first constitutional amendment, ratification of the Rajya Sabha was not taken.
- (3)Currently eight members are elected to Rajya Sabha from the Union Territories.
- (4)There have been three occasions, when joint sitting of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha was held.
Answer
Why
Correct — option (1), Dr. S. Radhakrishnan is the only Chairman of Rajya Sabha for two consecutive terms.
The stem asks for the incorrect statement. Under Article 89(1) the Vice-President is ex officio Chairman of the Council of States, and under Article 67 a Vice-President holds office for five years.
The Vice-President of India's official list of office-holders shows Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan from 13 May 1952 to 12 May 1962 — ten continuous years, which is two terms.
The same list shows M. Hamid Ansari from 11 August 2007 to 10 August 2017: another ten continuous years and two terms. Radhakrishnan was therefore not the only one, and statement (1) is incorrect.
The other three statements hold. The First Amendment took effect before the Rajya Sabha first sat, the Fourth Schedule gives Union territories eight seats, and joint sittings had been held three times.
As of 1 October 2023, two Chairmen had served back-to-back terms: Radhakrishnan (1952–62) and Hamid Ansari (2007–17).
Why the others are wrong
- (2)For the first constitutional amendment, ratification of the Rajya Sabha was not taken. — This statement is correct, so it is not the answer. The Constitution (First Amendment) Act, 1951 took effect on 18 June 1951. The Council of States held its first sitting on 13 May 1952, almost eleven months later.
The Rajya Sabha had not yet met, so it could not pass the Bill. Article 379 of the original Constitution, omitted in 1956, carried the provisions for the provisional Parliament of those years.
- (3)Currently eight members are elected to Rajya Sabha from the Union Territories. — This statement is correct for the exam date. The Fourth Schedule's Union territory entries are Delhi 3, Puducherry 1 and Jammu and Kashmir 4 — eight seats in all.
The Jammu and Kashmir entry became a Union territory entry through the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, with effect from 31 October 2019. Article 80(5) leaves the manner of choosing Union territory members to a law made by Parliament.
- (4)There have been three occasions, when joint sitting of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha was held. — This statement is correct. Article 108 lets the President summon both Houses to a joint sitting when they deadlock over a Bill, and the Speaker of the Lok Sabha presides (Article 118(4)).
By 1 October 2023 there had been three joint sittings: 1961 (Dowry Prohibition Bill), 1978 (Banking Service Commission (Repeal) Bill) and 2002 (Prevention of Terrorism Bill).
Concept
The Council of States (Rajya Sabha) is one of the two Houses of Parliament. Article 80 provides for twelve members nominated by the President and not more than 238 representatives of the States and Union territories.
Seats are allotted by the Fourth Schedule. State representatives are elected by the elected members of the State Legislative Assembly by proportional representation through the single transferable vote (Article 80(4)).
The House does not elect its Chairman. Article 89(1) makes the Vice-President ex officio Chairman, so a Chairman's term follows the Vice-President's five-year term; the House chooses a Deputy Chairman from its members (Article 89(2)).
When the Houses disagree over a Bill, Article 108 allows a joint sitting, presided over by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha.
RPSC's syllabus lists "President, Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Parliament, Supreme Court & Judicial Review" under the Indian Political System. The Rajya Sabha is one of Parliament's two Houses.
Some facts about the Rajya Sabha are constitutional rules that stay fixed, such as Article 89. Others are records that grow with time, such as terms served or joint sittings held, and these need a date.
On 1 October 2023 the Chairman was Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice-President from 11 August 2022.
Seat figures change with law too. The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 deleted Jammu and Kashmir's entry as a State and inserted a Union territory entry of four seats.
Key facts
- Article 89(1): the Vice-President is ex officio Chairman of the Council of States; Article 67 gives the Vice-President a five-year term.
- S. Radhakrishnan (13 May 1952 – 12 May 1962) and M. Hamid Ansari (11 August 2007 – 10 August 2017) each served ten continuous years.
- The Constitution (First Amendment) Act, 1951 took effect on 18 June 1951; the Rajya Sabha held its first sitting on 13 May 1952.
- Fourth Schedule seats for Union territories: Delhi 3, Puducherry 1, Jammu and Kashmir 4 — eight in all. Rajasthan's allotment is 10.
- Joint sittings under Article 108 were held in 1961, 1978 and 2002 — three by 1 October 2023.
Tenures from the Vice-President of India's website; seats from the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution.
Study next
Common traps
- Counting only Radhakrishnan. M. Hamid Ansari also held the office for ten continuous years, from 2007 to 2017.
- Reading "ratification of the Rajya Sabha was not taken" as a lapse. The Rajya Sabha did not sit until 13 May 1952, after the First Amendment was already in force.
- Adding seats for the wrong Union territories. The Fourth Schedule's Union territory entries are Delhi (3), Puducherry (1) and Jammu and Kashmir (4).
A question can give statements about the Rajya Sabha — its Chairman, its seats or its joint sittings — and ask for the incorrect one, as here.
A question can also ask how many seats a State holds, or which Bills were passed at joint sittings.
Related PYQs
Which of the following statements regarding the powers of the speaker of Lok Sabha are correct ? Choose the correct answer from the codes given below : (i) The speaker presides over a joint sitting of both the houses of Parliament. (ii) When a Money Bill is transferred from the Lower House to the Upper House, the speaker shall endorse on the bill his certificate that it is a Money Bill. (iii) While a resolution for his removal is under consideration, the speaker shall neither preside nor take part in its proceedings. (iv) The speaker does not vote in the House except when there is equality of votes. Codes :
- (1) Only (i) and (iii)
- (2) Only (i) and (ii)
- (3) Only (i), (ii) and (iv)
- (4) Only (i), (ii) and (iii)
Answer(3)
Also involves joint sittings, from the presiding side: its statement that the Speaker presides over a joint sitting is among the correct ones (RPSC key: option (3), only (i), (ii) and (iv)). This question asks how many joint sittings have been held.
Practice
- practice — not a real PYQ
Who among the following held office as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha for two consecutive terms?
- (a)Zakir Hussain
- (b)M. Hamid Ansari
- (c)Bhairon Singh Shekhawat
- (d)M. Venkaiah Naidu
Answer(2) — Hamid Ansari was Vice-President, and so Chairman, from 11 August 2007 to 10 August 2017. Zakir Hussain (1) served 1962–1967, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat (3) 2002–2007 and M. Venkaiah Naidu (4) 2017–2022 — one term each. - practice — not a real PYQ
How many seats does the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution allot to Rajasthan in the Council of States?
- (a)9
- (b)10
- (c)11
- (d)12
Answer(2) — the Fourth Schedule allots 10 seats to Rajasthan. 9 (1) is Kerala's allotment, 11 (3) is the figure for Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, and 12 (4) is Karnataka's.