Rajya Sabha polls: Know how the members are elected and how are the results declared

Also Read: Stage set for Rajya Sabha polls with shadow of cross-voting in three states

It appears that the SP is facing a challenging situation where the support of all 111 MLAs is required to secure victory in 3 assembly seats. However, with 108 MLAs belonging to the SP, 2 from Congress, and 1 from BSP in the Vidhan Sabha, unanimous votes are necessary for the SP to win all three seats.

SP MLA Refuses to Support Jaya Bachchan, Alok Ranjan

The situation becomes more complex as SP MLA Pallavi Patel has reportedly declared her intention not to vote for Jaya Bachchan and Alok Ranjan. This declaration introduces an element of uncertainty regarding the outcome of the voting.

Additionally, discussions on seat allocation between Congress and SP for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections remain fully unresolved. This unresolved issue further complicates the situation and raises the possibility of a setback for the SP from the Congress MLA during the polling.

Also Read: The larger messaging behind BJP's Rajya Sabha nominations

BJP Exudes Confidence in 8th Candidate's Win

The BJP exudes confidence in the victory of its 8th candidate in the polls. A seasoned leader, responsible for overseeing vote management, told the Times of India the party's conviction in securing first preference votes for the 8th candidate. However, in the event of this outcome not materialising during the voting process, the leader affirmed that victory through second preference votes remains assured.

Cross-Voting, Abstentions Key to Compensate Shortfall

Given the current composition of the UP assembly with 399 members, each candidate needs the support of 37 MLAs to secure victory. Considering the addition of RLD's 9 MLAs and Raja Bhaiyya's 2, the NDA's (comprising BJP 252, Apna Dal (S) 13, NISHAD 6, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) 6) numbers escalate to 288. However, with SBSP MLA Abbas Ansari in jail, the tally comes down to 287. This falls short by 9 MLAs of the requisite strength (296) needed to ensure success for all eight BJP candidates. The saffron party is banking on possibilities of cross-voting and abstentions to bridge this gap.

11 Candidates Vie for 10 Seats

In Uttar Pradesh, there will be 11 candidates competing for 10 seats in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The SP has renominated three candidates — Jaya Bachchan, former MP Ramjilal Suman, and retired IAS officer Alok Ranjan.

Also Read : Here is how BJP’s eighth candidate Sanjay Seth may change Rajya Sabha poll game in UP

However, the BJP has intensified the contest by fielding eight candidate instead of the expected seven. Had the BJP not nominated its eighth candidate, the election to the 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh would have proceeded uncontested.

To win in Uttar Pradesh, a candidate requires 37 first preference votes. With elections being held for 10 seats, the BJP is set to win 7 seats, and the SP is set to win three seats. The BJP, therefore, will secure a total of (7 x 37) = 259 first preference votes, while the SP will secure (3 x 37) = 111 first preference votes.

For all eight candidates of a party to win, they would collectively need the first preference votes of 296 MLAs. However, the NDA currently has the support of only 286 MLAs in the state assembly, which is 10 short of the required strength.

This means the NDA would need to secure the support of additional MLAs to ensure the victory of all its candidates.

The BJP candidates include:

• RPN Singh: Former Union minister

• Chaudhary Tejveer Singh: Former MP

• Amarpal Maurya: State party general secretary

• Sangeeta Balwant: Former state minister

• Sudhanshu Trivedi: Party spokesperson

• Sadhna Singh: Former MLA

• Naveen Jain: Former Mayor of Agra

• Sanjay Seth: Local industrialist and former SP leader who joined the BJP in 2019

Himachal: 1  Seat Up for Grabs, Candidate Needs 35 Votes

In the upcoming election for 1 seat in Himachal Pradesh, with the Himachal Vidhan Sabha comprising 68 members, a candidate needs 35 votes to secure victory. The Congress, with 40 MLAs in the state assembly, also enjoys the backing of three independent MLAs.

In this electoral contest, the Congress has nominated Abhishek Manu Singhvi as its candidate, while the BJP has fielded Harsh Mahajan. There is speculation that some Congress MLAs may extend their support to the BJP candidate, adding an element of uncertainty to the outcome.

Competition Intensifies in Karnataka

In Karnataka, five candidates are vying for the four Rajya Sabha seats. The Congress has nominated Ajay Maken, Syed Naseer Hussain, and GC Chandrasekhar, while Narayansa Bandage is the BJP candidate. Additionally, JD(S) leader and former Rajya Sabha member D Kupendra Reddy is also contesting.

With a total of 224 members in the Karnataka Assembly, each candidate needs 45 first preference votes to secure victory.

41 RS Seats Decided Unopposed

A total of 41 out of 56 leaders were elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha on February 20. The returning officers declared these 41 leaders as winners on the last date of withdrawal of nominations, as there were no other candidates in the fray for these 41 seats. The BJP emerged as the frontrunner, securing 20 seats, consolidating its presence in the upper house. Meanwhile, the Congress managed to clinch 6 seats, underlining its continued relevance despite electoral setbacks in recent years.

Notable successes were also seen for regional parties, with the YSR Congress Party securing 3 seats, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) each winning 2 seats. Other parties like the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Shiv Sena, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) managed to secure 1 seat each, indicating a diverse representation in the Rajya Sabha.

BJP Chief Nadda, Sonia Gandhi Elected Unopposed

Several prominent leaders, including BJP president JP Nadda, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and former Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan, have been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha.

However, the electoral process for the remaining 15 seats in Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and UP is still underway. The outcome of these elections will further shape the composition of the upper House of Parliament and may have implications for legislative dynamics and decision-making processes at the national level.

What Constitutes the Electoral Methodology for RS?

The Rajya Sabha election process involves MLAs casting their votes for candidates using the single transferable vote (STV) system, which employs proportional representation. Here's an overview of how it operates:

(A) Eligible MLAs list different candidates in order of preference on their ballot.

(B) If a candidate garners enough first-preference votes (quota), they secure election.

(C) If no candidate achieves the quota solely through first-preference votes, surplus votes from elected candidates and votes from eliminated candidates are redistributed to other candidates based on voters' subsequent preferences.

Key aspects of the system include:

Each MLA's vote is counted only once.

MLAs have the flexibility to vote for candidates from other parties in addition to those from their own party.

The overarching goal is to ensure equitable representation that aligns with the electorate's preferences and reflects the parties' strength within the legislative assembly.

Preference Vote Formula Decoded

The candidate securing the highest rank obtains a first preference vote. Thus, a candidate must amass a specific number of such first preference votes, determined by the size of the state assembly and the number of MPs it sends to the Rajya Sabha.

To secure victory, a candidate needs to achieve a requisite number of votes known as the quota or preference vote. The formula for this is:

Quota or Preference Vote = [Total number of votes / (Number of Rajya Sabha seats + 1)] + 1.

However, in scenarios where multiple seats need to be filled, the formula differs. In such cases, the total number of votes required for a candidate is calculated as:

Total number of votes required = [(Number of votes x 100) / (Vacancies + 1)] + 1.

Permanent Body

The Rajya Sabha is considered a permanent body because it cannot be dissolved. One-third of its members retire every two years, except for certain exceptions. This structure ensures continuity and stability in the functioning of the upper House of Parliament.

Eligibility

To become a member of the Rajya Sabha, an individual must be an Indian citizen aged 30 years or above, and they must possess other qualifications as prescribed by Parliament. This requirement ensures that Rajya Sabha members are experienced and capable of contributing effectively to the legislative process.

Fixed Term

The term of a Rajya Sabha member is 6 years. However, a member elected in a byelection serves only for the remainder of the term of the vacant seat. This setup ensures regular turnover in the membership of the Rajya Sabha while maintaining its continuity.

36% of RS Candidates Declare Criminal Cases: ADR Report

The recent ADR report on Rajya Sabha candidates reveals that 36 percent of candidates contesting for the upper House seats have declared criminal cases against themselves. Additionally, the average assets of these candidates, as per their self-sworn affidavits, amount to Rs 127.81 crore. The ADR, in collaboration with the National Election Watch, examined the self-sworn affidavits of 58 out of the 59 candidates competing for 56 seats across 15 states.