Ans: D

11. Rajya Sabha

11.1. Historical Evolution and rationale behind creation of the Second Chamber

The nomenclature ‘Council of States’ also known as Rajya Sabha, was announced on 23rd August, 1954. The origin of the second Chamber can be traced to the Montague-Chelmsford Report of 1918. The Government of India Act, 1919 provided for the creation of a ‘Council of State’ as a second chamber of the then legislature with a restricted franchise which actually came into existence in 1921. The Governor General was the ex-officio President of the then Council of State. The Government of India Act, 1935, hardly made any changes in its composition.

In independent India, the Central Legislature which was known as Constituent Assembly (Legislative) and later Provisional Parliament was unicameral till the first elections were held in 1952. It was decided to have a bicameral legislature for independent India primarily because a federal system was considered to be most feasible form of Government for such a vast and diverse country. It was considered that a single directly elected House would be inadequate to meet the challenges facing free India. Therefore, a second chamber known as the ‘Council of States’ was created. It was thought of as another Chamber, with smaller membership than the Lok Sabha. It was meant to be the federal chamber i.e., a House elected by the elected members of Assemblies of the States and Union Territories with a legislature alongside some nominated members.