Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman M.Venkaiah Naidu on Friday urged the Rajya Sabha members to live up to the expectations of the founding fathers and set high standards of conduct in the House. "This day in the year 1952, the Rajya Sabha held its first session. Ever since it has been playing a monumental role in strengthening parliamentary democracy," the Chairman said remembering the first session. He also greeted the valued members & efficient staff of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat on the occasion.
The Rajya Sabha, constitutionally the Council of States, is the Upper House of the bicameral Parliament of India. As of 2021, it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legislatures of the states and Union Territories using single transferable votes through open ballots, while the President can appoint 12 members for their contributions to art, literature, science, and social services. Members are elected for a six-year term with about a third of the 233 designates up for election every two years. The House meets in continuous sessions, and unlike the Lok Sabha, being the Lower House of the Parliament, the Rajya Sabha is not subjected to dissolution. However, the Rajya Sabha, like the Lok Sabha, can be prorogued by the President.