Rajya Sabha: The 200th Session
The current session of Rajya Sabha- is its 200th Session. The first session of Rajya Sabha was held in May 1952. During the last 50 years, Rajya Sabha has emerged as a Parliamentary institution of great repute and has contributed immensely to the success of our parliamentary democracy. It has given representation, as Shri Gopalaswami Ayyangar, a legal luminary and a member of the Constituent Assembly had aptly said, " to the seasoned people who may not be in the thickest of political fray, but who might be " willing to participate in the debate with an amount of learning and importance". Rajya Sabha is a permanent body and is not subject to dissolution. However, one third of its members retire biennially. A member who is elected for a full term retains his membership for six years. Presently, Rajya Sabha has two hundred and forty five members.
The Vice-President of India is ex officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha. This august office has been adorned by people of great eminence. The first Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, was a great philosopher and statesman. Dr. Zakir Husain, Shri V. V. Giri, Dr. Gopa1 Swarup Pathak, Shri B. D. Jatti, Shri M. Hidayatullah, Shri R. Venkataraman, Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma, Shri K. R. Narayanan and Shri Krishan Kant were distinguished personalities. The current Chairman, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat is the eleventh Chairman of Rajya Sabha. Shri Shekhawat is an agriculturist and has vast legislative and administrative experience. He had been the Chief Minister of the State of Rajasthan for three terms. He has had an eventful and glorious career spanning over half a century and had a phenomenal rise from a humble farmer's family to the elevated position of the Vice-President of India.
There were six Chairmen of Rajya Sabha who later became the President of India namely, Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, Dr. Zakir Husain, Shri V .V. Giri, Shri R. Venkataraman, Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma and Shri K. R. Narayanan.
The office of the Deputy Chainman of Rajya Sabha has been adorned by eminent persons from various fields. Currently, Dr. (Smt.) Najma Heptulla is the Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha. She is a social worker and researcher in the scientific field. She has the distinction of holding the office of Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha for longest period in the history of Rajya Sabha. During the span of five decades, the Council of States has played a remarkable role as a revisory chamber, deliberative body and legislative apparatus. Compared to many other Second Chambers in the world, Rajya Sabha has given a good account of its performance. It has succeeded in combining dignity with intense activity. Rajya Sabha's record in initiating legislative measures is a testimony to the fact that while it may be a Second Chamber, it cannot be treated as a secondary chamber. Numerous legislations have been introduced in Rajya Sabha, the depth and content of which encompassed the interests of the downtrodden and suffering sections of our society.
The Hindu Marriage and Divorce Bill, 1952; The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Bill, 1986; The Transplantation of Human Organs Bill, 1994, The Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill, 1999, The Pre- Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Regulation and Prevention of Misuse) Amendment Bill, 2001, etc., speak of the comprehensive vision of Rajya Sabha in taking appropriate measures for the welfare of the underprivileged and the needy. As regards the Private Members Bills, so far, only fourteen Private Members' Bills have found place in the statute book, out of which five were introduced in Rajya Sabha.
Despite the impression that Rajya Sabha does not have a say in financial matters as the money bills are not introduced in Rajya Sabha, the role assigned to it in this regard is by no means insignificant. The Constitution provides that the Annual Budget of the Union Government is to be laid before both Houses of Parliament and Rajya Sabha discusses the General Budget and the Railways Budget, No money can be withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund of India unless the Appropriation Bill has been approved by both Houses of Parliament. Moreover, the members of Rajya Sabha are also associated with the two of the three important financial committees of Parliament namely, the Committee on Public Accounts and the Committee on Public Undertakings. In the deliberations of the Department-related Parliament Standing Committees which consider the Demands for Grants of Ministries/Departments and report thereon, the Members of Rajya Sabha play significant role. This indicates the increasing role of Rajya Sabha in financial matters.
Over the years, Rajya Sabha has assumed a more dynamic role in deliberating issues of common concern and bringing out legislations of far reaching significance. Active participation of its members in the proceedings of various committees also highlights the expanding role of Rajya Sabha.
The profile of Rajya Sabha has also been changing gradually. In 1952, average age of members of Rajya Sabha was 50.83 years, the lowest since its inception. From 1956 to 1990, it ranged around 53 and 55 years. In the subsequent years, there has been gradual increase in the average age of members. The average age of members of Rajya Sabha has risen from 56.10 years in 1992 to 58.53 years in 2002 which has been the highest till now. Thus, it is apparent that the average age has shot up by nearly 8 years in the last 50 years. In comparison to Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha had an average age of46.5 in 1952. Currently, in the Thirteenth Lok Sabha the average age is 55.5 years whereas in Rajya Sabha the average age has been 58.98 years. Thus, we may categorically state that Rajya Sabha, true to its nomenclature as the House of Elders, has always had a higher average age than that of Lok Sabha. From 1952 to 2002, 160 women have become members of Rajya Sabha. However, the representation of women in Rajya Sabha at any given point of time has not gone beyond 30. In 1980, there were 29 women members out of a total of 242 constituting 11.98 per cent of the House, which was the highest ever strength of women members in the House. At present, there are 25 women members in Rajya Sabha.
Till date, 105 members have been nominated to Rajya Sabha from the field of art, literature, science and social service. Educationists and poets/litterateurs have got nominated to the House more than other categories. It is worth noting that more than 15 social workers have been nominated to Rajya Sabha in the last 50 years.
Occupational background of members of Rajya Sabha has reflected a marked change in the last 50 years. Earlier lawyers constituted a major chunk of the occupational distribution in the House. Today, maximum number of members have preferred to put their profession as 'Political and Social Workers'. In 1952, almost all the members were freedom fighters and had participated in the freedom movement, but they preferred to give their chosen profession as either agriculturist or lawyers or medical practitioners or educationists. However, today many members have had previous legislative experience either in the State Assemblies or in Lok Sabha or have served the Government or judiciary in various meaningful capacities. Also, there are members with specialized professional experience in wide range of fields including editorship of newspapers, magazines, etc. film making to tourism and hotel industry.Thus, we may say that Rajya Sabha members with their higher age profile, varied educational qualification and diverse professional experience reflect the changing profile of our nation and to that extent today are better equipped to discharge their responsibilities effectively and contribute to the all round development of the nation.
The Chairman of Rajya Sabha, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, observed that "... public perceptions of the functioning of the democracy is not only based on the quality of governance provided by the executive but also on how far the proceedings in the House are relevant for its welfare". And Rajya Sabha has performed this role remarkably well, deliberating fruitfully on numerous socio-economic issues and passing legislations aimed at the welfare of the people. Rajya Sabha has, indeed, emerged as a front ranking second chamber translating successfully the principles of bicameralism into practice.
The 200th Session of Rajya Sabha is a landmark event in the history of our Parliamentary Democracy. To commemorate this occasion certain programmes and activities are being organized. The celebrations will commence on 11 December 2003 in the historic Central Hall of Parliament House where the President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will address the Members of Parliament and confer honour on Hon 'ble Deputy Chairman and those members/former members who have/had attended more than 100 sessions of Rajya Sabha. Other activities scheduled for this day include inauguration of the web casting of the proceedings of Rajya Sabha, release of commemorative postage stamp and release of a CD of a video film on Rajya Sabha.
An exhibition on Rajya Sabha and its working will be organized on Ground Floor (opposite Main Committee Room,. Parliament House Annexe from 12th to 23rd December, 2003. The exhibition will be inaugurated at 10.00 a.m. on Friday, the 12th December 2003, by Hon'ble Chairman. A seminar on the 'Role and Relevance of Rajya Sabha in Indian Polity' will be held on Sunday, the 14th December 2003, in the Main Committee Room, Parliament House Annexe. Academicians, senior journalists, renowned parliamentarians, elderly statesmen and eminent jurists will speak in the seminar. The seminar will be inaugurated by Hon 'ble Chairman at 10.30 a.m. A Cultural Evening in coordination with Indian Council of Cultural Relations will be organized at the 6 Maulana Azad Road, on 17 December, 2003 at 6.30 p.m.