The upper house of the Parliament is called Rajyasabha Election and the lower house is called Lok Sabha. In the Lok Sabha elections, the public votes directly, while the Rajya Sabha elections are held in two ways. The first Rajyasabha is elected by the representation of the Legislative Assembly and the second is nominated by the President from different constituencies. Rajyasabha is a permanent house. Lok Sabha can be dissolved, but Rajyasabha is not dissolved. However, there are less seats in Rajya Sabha as compared to Lok Sabha.
According to Article 80 of the Constitution, the total number of MPs in Rajyasabha can be 250. Out of total 250 seats of Rajyasabha, 238 seats are elected on the basis of assembly strength of the state and union territory while 12 Rajyasabha members are nominated by the President. Nominated members are chosen from people associated with various fields including literature, art, social service. The tenure of a Rajyasabha MP is also 6 years. Rajyasabha elections are held every two years for one-third of the seats.
Voting formula in Rajya Sabha
There is a voting formula in the Rajyasabha elections, on the basis of which the number of votes required for a Rajyasabha seat is determined. One is added to the number of seats in the Rajyasabha for which elections are to be held and then it is divided by the total number of MLAs of that state. After this one was added to that number. Understand this from the point of view of Uttar Pradesh, elections are being held on 10 seats of UP, in which if one is added it becomes 12. There are total 403 seats in UP, out of which 3 seats are vacant. On this basis, 399 MLAs are left, which if divided by 11 and added one, then 37 MLAs are required to win a Rajyasabha seat.
Voting in Rajya Sabha elections
Rajyasabha election is not a secret ballot nor is EVM used in it. The voting process in Rajyasabha elections is completely different. In the Rajyasabha elections, the ballot paper does not contain election marks but the names of the candidates. There is no need to stamp the candidate’s name on the ballot paper, nor to vote by evaluating the ballot paper with any kind of sketch pen. In other elections, the voter votes for one candidate, but in Rajyasabha elections, he has the option to vote for more than one candidate in the order of preference.
How do MLAs cast their votes?
A number from one to four is written next to the name of every candidate contesting the Rajyasabha elections. In such a situation, MLAs have to mark it on the basis of preference. In the Rajyasabha elections, voters have to vote by writing numbers next to the name of the candidate of their choice in the ballot paper using the pen given by the election workers at the polling stations. During voting in Rajya Sabha elections, under no circumstances will voters be able to sign or put their thumb impression on the ballot.
There would have been clear instructions to the MLAs that if they signed or put thumb impression on the ballot paper, their vote would be completely void. In the Rajyasabha election ballot paper, the MLA has to draw only a vertical line in front of his allotted candidate. It should not touch any other food. You do not have to vote with your own pen in the ballot paper, rather you have to use only the pen given by the presiding officer. After this, all the MLAs will have to cast their vote by showing it to the polling agent.
In the Rajyasabha elections, a number from one to four would be written before the name of every candidate. MLAs have to mark the name of Rajyasabha candidate on the basis of preference. An MLA can vote only once. MLAs vote on the basis of priority. They have to tell who is their first choice and who is their second. The one who gets first choice votes is considered the winner. That is why political parties work to provide training to their MLAs on the process of voting in Rajyasabha elections before voting.
