Rajya Sabha polls explainer: How do single transferable vote system and proportional representation work?
Understand the Rajya Sabha election procedure involving proportional representation with a single transferable vote easily.
The Election Commission of India has declared the Rajya Sabha elections for 10 seats in Gujarat, West Bengal, and Goa. The voting is scheduled to occur on July 24, with the vote count taking place on the same day. This paves the way for a possible political battle in these states as political parties gear up to compete for their representation in the Rajya Sabha, the Council of States.

Unlike elections to the Lok Sabha, the process of electing members to the Rajya Sabha involves intricate procedures. However, we have simplified the Rajya Sabha election procedure for better understanding.
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What is the total strength of the Rajya Sabha?
The Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament, has a strength of not more than 250 members. This includes:
- 238 members elected from various states and union territories.
- 12 members nominated by the President of India.
Out of the maximum 250 seats, presently it is fixed at 245 members. Among them, the elected members are 229 members representing different states, while 4 members are indirectly elected from union territories.
Which state has how many seats in Rajya Sabha?
1. Andhra Pradesh: 18
2. Assam: 7
3. Bihar: 16
4. Jharkhand: 6
5. Goa: 1
6. Gujarat: 11
7. Haryana: 5
8. Kerala: 9
9. Madhya Pradesh: 11
10. Chhattisgarh: 5
11. Tamil Nadu: 18
12. Maharashtra: 19
13. Karnataka: 12
14. Odisha: 10
15. Punjab: 7
16. Rajasthan: 10
17. Uttar Pradesh: 31
18. Uttarakhand: 3
19. West Bengal: 16
20. Jammu and Kashmir: 4
21. Nagaland: 1
22. Himachal Pradesh: 3
23. Manipur: 1
24. Tripura: 1
25. Meghalaya: 1
26. Sikkim: 1
27. Mizoram: 1
28. Arunachal Pradesh: 1
29. Delhi: 3
30. Puducherry: 1
Rajya Sabha is a permanent body and is not subject to dissolution. However, one-third of the members retire every second year and are replaced by newly elected members. Each member is elected for a term of six years
Explained: Rajya Sabha voting process and formula
In the Rajya Sabha election, elected MLAs (Members of Legislative Assembly) participate and vote to select the Rajya Sabha members. The voting is done using a system called proportional representation with the single transferable vote (STV).
Here, MLAs do not vote for each seat individually. Instead, they list different candidates in order of preference, marking 1,2,3… against their names.
To be elected, a candidate needs to receive a certain number of first preference votes, which is the qualifying threshold. The remaining votes are then transferred to other candidates based on their lower preference rankings. This means that MLAs can also support candidates from parties other than their own. However, giving second or subsequent preferences is optional.
The winner must secure a minimum quota of votes, which is determined by the formula:
Quota = (Total votes polled / (Total number of candidates to be elected + 1)) + 1
Understand the Rajya Sabha election procedure with an example
For example, if 182 MLAs in Gujarat are voting to elect 3 Rajya Sabha members, the winner would require (200 / (3 + 1) = 50 + 1) 51 votes to meet the quota.
The counting of votes is done based on the first preference votes secured by each candidate. If, after the counting of all first preference votes, the required number of candidates fail to fulfil the quota, the candidate with the lowest number of first preference votes is eliminated. The votes received by the eliminated candidate are then transferred to the candidates who are marked as the second preference on those ballot papers. This process continues until the required number of candidates are declared elected.
What is an open ballot system in the Rajya Sabha election?
During the Rajya Sabha election, voting is conducted using an open ballot system. This requires an elector, who is a member of a political party, to display the ballot paper to the authorized agent of their respective party for verification. However, the agent cannot provide any voting directions.
If an elector belonging to a political party refuses to show the marked ballot paper, their vote will be invalidated due to a violation of the voting procedure.
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However, independent MLAs should not show their marked ballot papers to any agent. Doing so would be considered a violation of the voting procedure.
Additionally, an MLA from one political party is prohibited from showing their ballot paper to the authorized agent of any other political party.
Who are the current nominees of the Rajya Sabha?
President nominates 12 individuals renowned for their exceptional knowledge and practical experience in fields such as literature, science, art, social service, sports, education, and more.
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List of Rajya Sabha current nominees:
- Ilaiyaraaja: Renowned musician
- PT Usha: Track-and-field icon
- V Vijayendra Prasad: Telugu screenwriter
- Veerendra Heggade: Philanthropist and spiritual leader
- Mahesh Jethmalani: Distinguished lawyer
- Sonal Mansingh: Famous dancer
- Ram Shakal: Social worker
- Rakesh Sinha: Author and columnist
- Ranjan Gogoi: former Chief Justice of India
- Ghulam Ali Khatana: Social worker
Currently, two nominated positions in the Rajya Sabha remain vacant.
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