GS2 PYQ (Mains Answer Writing): Rajya Sabha in Parliament | Indian Polity for UPSC CSE PDF Download

Rajyasabha has been transformed from a ‘useless Stepney tire’ to the most useful supportive organ in past few decades. Highlight the factors as well as areas in which this transformation could be visible. (UPSC GS2 Mains)

The Upper House of Indian Parliament has been playing a pivotal role in India’s much cherished parliamentary democracy, keeping the bicameral structure alive, setting new records and creating history since its inception. Thus, Rajya Sabha as the second chamber of the parliament is considered as a permanent house (it never dissolves as Lok Sabha and one-third of its members retire every two years), revisionary house (reconsidering bills passed by the Lok Sabha) and offers a degree of continuity in the underlying policies of laws passed by parliament.
Importance of Rajya Sabha 

• Equilibrium - The Rajya Sabha is required to maintain the federal equilibrium by protecting the interests of the states against the undue interference of the Centre. 
• Review - The second chamber enables a second and reflective expression of representative opinion. 
• Checks and Balance - Both the Houses check one another and hence instances of parliamentary tyranny can be avoided. In other words, it can ensure that the majoritarian thrust of the Lower House does not undermine rule of law and public institutions. 
• Promotes Federalism - It represents the interests of the States as a federal chamber. 
• Important Body - It acts as a deliberative body holding high-quality debates on important issues. 
• Public Policy - It helps to initiate proposals for public policy. 
• Citizen rights - Rajya Sabha can be the voice of sanity, of the excluded, and of citizen rights. 

How in recent decades the role of Rajya Sabha has been enhanced? 

• The Upper House has played significant role in the socio-economic transformation of the country at the stroke of freedom marked by poverty, illiteracy, poor healthcare, low level of industrialization and economic growth, social orthodoxy, poor infrastructure, unemployment etc. are now a leading engine of economic growth and a voice being heard in the complex global order besides substantially improved quality of life of the people. 
• The Constitution has placed both Houses of Parliament on an equal footing in some important matters such as: 
  • Equal right with the Lok Sabha in the election and impeachment of the President (Articles 54 and 61); 
  • Equal right with the LokSabha in the election of the Vice-President (Article 66); 
  • Equal right with the LokSabha to make law defining parliamentary privileges and to punish for contempt (Article 105);. Equal right with the LokSabha to approve the Proclamation of Emergency (issued under Article 352) 
  • Proclamations regarding failure of the Constitutional machinery in States (issued under Article 356) and even a sole right in certain circumstances; and 
• Equal right with the LokSabha to receive reports and papers from various statutory authorities, namely: 
  • Annual Financial Statement [Article 112(1)]; 
  • Audit Reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India [Article 151(1);] 
  • Reports of the Union Public Service Commission [Article 323(1)]; 
  • Report of the Commission to investigate the conditions of the Backward Classes [Article 340(3)]; and 
  • Report of the Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities [Article 350B (2)]. 
• The factors, which have been responsible for the transformation of RajyaSabha into an essential organ, are: 
  • Coalition Government - It requires wider consensus and when there is no single party having a majority. 
  • Prime Minister from RajyaSabha - As a head of the government, he imparts RajyaSabha with enhanced weightage. example Manmohan Singh 
  • Opinion - The requirement of informed opinion on the issues such as climate change, surrogacy law, DNA bill. 
  • Principle of Federalism - Increased principle of Federalism in Indian polity and the rise of regional parties. The areas where this change is visible 
  • Role of RajyaSabha in enacting important legislation like the RTI act and also in opposing discriminatory legislation such as POTA act 2003. 
  • Making the government is accountable by the passing of amendments to the President’s address. 
  • Making government to agree on amendments on important legislation of the Lokpal Act and Food Security Act 2013. 
  • The support of RajyaSabha in passing critical bills like the abrogation of article 370 was crucial. 

Conclusion 
Even through the ups and downs of Indian politics, the RajyaSabha has remained a vanguard for political and social values, a melting pot of culture and diversity and over all, a relentless flag-bearer of sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic called India.

Topics covered - Rajya Sabha in The Parliament