Abolishing Rajya Sabha makes sense

Abolishing Rajya Sabha makes sense as it is irrelevant in law making


Rajya Sabha, commonly known as Council of States is the upper house of the parliament.

For:

- A huge amount of money is invested to become members in the Rajya Sabha. For example, Vijay Mallya has invested a huge amount and has become a member which increases the unnecessary clogging
- The tickets of Rajya Sabha are sold to anybody and everybody, without any nominations taking place and further making it crowded
- Because of no nominations taking place in the Rajya Sabha and every individual who has money can be a member of the Rajya Sabha hence all the rubrics and decorum are desecrated in the Rajya Sabha
- A solitary directly elected house was considered derisory to come across the defies of a huge and sundry India at the time of Independence specially
- The Rajya Sabha has gone astray in losing its significance
- The regions and states are well epitomized in the Lower House by various political parties that have no national interests

Against:

- Any non-financial bill has to be approved by the Rajya Sabha in-spite of it being approved by the Lok Sabha
- The Rajya Sabha includes members who are either businessmen, or film – makers. Since they do not belong to any political party, they will be able to give honest reviews
- The careers of film – makers or sports men is not constant, the Rajya Sabha gives them an option to earn some salary constantly

Conclusion:

- The Rajya Sabha should not be banned completely but certainly nominations should take place and certain rules and regulations should be revised.
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  • RE: Abolishing Rajya Sabha makes sense -Rajani Sharma (12/30/13)
  • Abolishing Rajya Sabha makes sense


    For:

    - Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the parliament is just a namesake thing and has no role to play in the functioning of the government towards the development of the nation. Moreover, the people nominated in Rajya Shabha are not elected by the people as the tickets of Rajya Sabha are sold to anybody and everybody, without any nominations. As no nominations takes place in the Rajya Sabha thus every individual who has money become a member of the Rajya Sabha. Hence all the rubrics and decorum are violated in the Rajya Sabha.
    - Recently an exasperated chairman of the Upper House remarked that: "Every single rule in the book, every single etiquette is violated." He went on to deem the Rajya Sabha as a "federation of anarchists".
    - It is truly a market rather than being the upper house. People with money power are in the race to enter the upper house. This increases the unnecessary clogging and thus the government should not go on wasting money by continuing Rajya Sabha.
    - Amongst the two houses of the parliament Rajya Sabha is not of much use. The officials in the house just get their positions to have their salaries and status. Instead of wasting money on this section, the governement should utilize these resources for development purpose of the nation. In place of it, a quota should be reserved in Lok Sabha for Rajya Sabha members.
    - The federal structure of India is sound and regional interests are adequately represented in the Lower House, thus rendering the Upper House redundant.
    - Political parties are exploiting the Rajya Sabha to reward power brokers who can raise funds for elections, journalists who support party positions on various issues and civil servants for servility and obeisance. More and more industrialists and former company heads are becoming members with the intention of gaining influence and sway policy. Thus, the Rajya Sabha has become a pseudonym for cronies and an institution that serves vested interests than strengthen the people's agenda.
    - It has become a platform for parties to further their political agenda than to debate and improve legislation. Important legislations that are passed in the Lok Sabha are scuttled in Rajya Sabha for political reasons. Contrary strategies are adopted by political parties in the Upper and Lower chambers to manoeuvre and manipulate in order to avoid embarrassment to parliamentarians on issues of importance to the country at large.
    - The expenditure incurred on the functioning of the Upper House can be reallocated. Savings from elimination of the Upper House can be more gainfully deployed for either building infrastructure or enhancing social development or other meaningful projects.
    - For governance to improve, India needs to abolish certain institutions, Rajya Sabha is one such frail institution that is no more required to preserve India's federal nature and in fact contributes more to the dysfunction of Parliament than to legislative process. It is more of a hindrance to speedy legislative process that the country desperately requires for economic growth and progress.

    Against:

    - Any non-financial bill approved by the Lok Sabha, finally needs to be approved by the Rajya Sabha.
    - The members of Rajya Sabha includes either businessmen, or filmmakers. As they do not belong to any political party, they will be able to give honest reviews.
    - The Rajya Sabha gives the film maers or sports men whose careers are not constant an option to earn some salary constantly.
    - Steps should be taken to rather prevent corruption than abolishing any house. If the senior democrats think that it is mere waste of money of government in electing people in rajya sabha and paying them. Effective strategies should be laid now for optimal usage of resources.
    - The Rajya Sabha should not be banned completely but certainly nominations should take place and certain rules and regulations should be revised.
    - Governments in the past took advantage of the Upper House to hire lateral talent. Individuals of repute who were either talented or had private sector experience were inducted so they could bring fresh ideas and knowledge in various ministries that desperately needed them.