Rajya Sabha
• The Council of States or Rajya Sabha is the upper house of the Parliament.
• It is permanent house of the Parliament and unlike the Lok Sabha it is not subject to dissolution.
• The origin of the Rajya Sabha as the second chamber can be traced to the Montague-Chelmsford Report of 1918 and the Government of India Act, 1919.
• As per Article 80 of Constitution, the maximum strength of Rajya Sabha is 250, out of which 238 are representatives of States and of two Union Territories having legislatures (Delhi and Puducherry).
• These members are indirectly elected by state and territorial legislatures using single transferable votes.
• Remaining 12 members are nominated by the President for their contributions to art, literature, science, and social services.
• Members of Rajya Sabha have six-year term and one third of the members retire every two years.
• The Vice President of India is the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, who presides over its sessions.
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