Explainer - Nominated members in Rajya Sabha

• President Droupadi Murmu nominated Harivansh Narayan Singh to the Rajya Sabha.

• The nomination was made under Article 80(1)(a) of the Constitution.

• Vice President of India and Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan administered the oath to Harivansh at Parliament House on April 10.

• He was elected to the Upper House in 2014 after serving as editor-in-chief of Hindi daily ‘Prabhat Khabar’.

• Harivansh's second term as a member of the Upper House ended on April 9.

• He has also served as deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha. 

• His new term will run until 2032.

Nominated members of Rajya Sabha

• Article 80 of the Constitution lays down the maximum strength of Rajya Sabha as 250, out of which 12 members are nominated by the President and 238 are representatives of the states and also of the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry.

At present, Rajya Sabha has 245 seats. Of these, 233 members represent the states and the Union Territories, and 12 members are nominated by the President.

• The members nominated by the President are persons having special knowledge or practical experience in respect of such matters as literature, science, art and social service.

• Rajya Sabha is a permanent House and is not subject to dissolution. However, one-third of members of Rajya Sabha retire after every second year. 

• A member who is elected/nominated for a full term serves for a period of six years. 

• Article 84 of the Constitution lays down the qualifications for membership of Parliament. 

• The member should be a citizen of India above 30 years of age and possessing such other qualifications as may be prescribed by law of Parliament.

• While the nominated members of Rajya Sabha have a right to vote in the election of the Vice-President of India, they are not entitled to vote in the election of the President of India.

• A nominated member can join a political party within six months of taking his/her seat in the Upper House.

• Under the Tenth Schedule, a nominated member is disqualified for being a member of the House if he/she joins any political party after the expiry of six months from the date on which he takes his seat

• The nominated members, who possess outstanding merit and distinction, add to the importance and dignity of Rajya Sabha and make it truly a House bestowing calm consideration on measures of national importance which come up before it.

• The nominated members have raised the standard of debates in the House by participating in the discussions on subjects of their interests and taking part in the debates on matters of national importance. 

• Classical dancer and theosophist Rukmini Devi Arundale was the first woman in Indian history to be nominated as a member of the Rajya Sabha (1952-56 and 1956-62).