Question

Sachin Tendulkar is a member of Rajya Sabha but he is not eligible for voting in the Presidential election. Identify the correct reason:
A.He has not fulfilled the age criteria.
B.He became a member after the elections for President.
C.He is not an elected member of the Rajya Sabha but a nominated one.
D.Members of Rajya Sabha are not entitled to vote.

Answer 1

Hint: The Indian legislative system is a bicameral one which means that there are two houses at the centre—the Lok Sabha or the House of People and the Rajya Sabha or the Council of States. The upper house of the Parliament is known as the Rajya Sabha or the Council of States. The members of Rajya Sabha are elected by the elected members of the legislative assemblies of the respective states under proportional representation. It is a permanent chamber which means that it does not dissolve all at once. Each member is effectively elected for six years as a third of the members retire every two years.

Complete step by step solution:
Option A: is incorrect because the age criterion for the Rajya Sabha is not less than 30 years and as a member Sachin Tendulkar qualified it. There is no further age criterion required to vote in the Presidential elections.
Option B: is incorrect because Sachin Tendulkar has been a member of the Rajya Sabha from 2012 to 2018. The last Presidential elections were held in 2017.
Option C: is correct. The Rajya Sabha has a total of 250 members, 238 elected members and 12 nominated members. The President nominates these 12 members to the Rajya Sabha who have distinguished themselves in the field of art, science, sports, literature and social service. Sachin Tendulkar was a nominated member and thus was not eligible to vote.
Option D: is incorrect because the President is elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both the Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the legislative assembly of the states. This includes the 238 elected members of the Rajya Sabha.

Note: The Vice-President is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha and presides over all the meetings and other businesses of the Upper House. The Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha is elected by the members of the Rajya Sabha. The Deputy Chairman performs the functions of the Chairman if there is a vacancy in the office of the Chairman or when the Vice-President (Chairman of the Rajya Sabha) is discharging the duties of the President.