Question

The Rajya Sabha can take initiative in__________________.
A. Censuring a minister
B. Creation of All India Services
C. Considering money bills
D. Appointing judges

Answer 1

Hint: The federal chamber of Rajya Sabha enjoys some special powers under the Constitution. All legislative subjects/areas have been divided into three lists: The Union List, The State List and The Concurrent List. The Union and State Lists are mutually exclusive - on a matter put in the domain of the other, one does not legislate. Rajya Sabha passes a resolution by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting who say it is "necessary”.

Complete answer:
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is one of the two houses of the Parliament of India. It is known as the upper house and has a maximum number of 245 members. 233 of the members are elected by state legislatures and union territories through an open ballot voting and the remaining twelve members are selected by the President of India. The president chooses these representatives by considering their contribution in their respective work field including art, science, literature etc.

Members sit for six-year staggered terms, with elections every year but about a third of the 233 are elected every two years, specifically in even-numbered years. The Rajya Sabha meets in continuous sessions, and the Rajya Sabha, which is the upper house of Parliament, is not subject to dissolution, unlike the Lok Sabha, which is the lower house of Parliament. The Rajya Sabha, like the Lok Sabha, can however be expanded by the President.
The qualifications required for members of Parliament are mentioned in Article 84 of the Constitution. These include;
1. Proof of Indian citizenship.
2.Make and sign an oath or affirmation before any person approved on that behalf by the Election Commission in accordance with the form set out for that purpose in the Third Schedule to the Constitution
3. 30 years old or above.
4.No criminal records.
5.Elected by the National Assembly by means of a single transferable vote by proportional representation of the States and territories of the Union.
Powers of Rajya Sabha include;
6. Union-state relations through which the laws regarding state legislatures can be made. This is only approved if a resolution is passed with two thirds of votes by the members.
7. Creation of All-India Services by passing a resolution to encourage the government for allowing the creation of more All-India Services common to both the Union and the States.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B).

Note:Rajya Sabha has a nomenclature declared by the chair in the House on 23 August 1954with distinctive features. In the Montague-Chelmsford Study of 1918, the root of the second Chamber can be traced to its origin. The Government of India Act, 1919, provided for the establishment of a 'Council of State' with a limited franchise as a second chamber of the then legislature, which eventually came into being in 1921.