Should indirect election of rajya sabha be replaced by election direct election
Answers
Answer:
Rajya Sabha was conceived by the makers of the Constitution as a Council of Elders and a Federal Chamber. To replace the indirect election by direct election would be counter-productive due to the following reasons:
It would actually mean a duplication of House. Both the Lower and Upper Houses being directly elected doesn’t make any sense to me.
It was conceived as a House where intellectual people debate, whose services are essential to the nation, but cannot enter the Lower House through the dust of Electoral politics. The change would completely sound a death knell to this function of Rajya Sabha.
It was conceived as a Chamber of Continuity. It does not change as fastly as Lok Sabha and hence ensures a continuity. So that function is also hampered.
Furthermore, instead of being a place where intellectual debates may happen between people who are knowledgful, it too becomes like the Lower House, which will be influenced by the passions and emotions of the General Public.
Further, Rajya Sabha indeed was conceived as a delaying chamber, which can delay legislations till the passions to die to give way for reason. This will again be hampered, because it will also be swayed by the same popular emotions and passions as the Lower House.
In fact in case it is ultimately decided to make the Upper House a directly elected one, it is better you make Parliament a Unicameral Legislature, rather than making such a mockery of the Upper House.