Rajya Sabha Seat: Chandigarh MC House to take a call tomorrow

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, February 26

The UT may have its own Rajya Sabha seat. The MC House will submit its opinion about the proposed Bill to the Administration at its meeting scheduled for Monday.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had earlier sent a Private Member Bill, which was earlier moved by Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari in the Lok Sabha, to the Local Government, Chandigarh, i.e. UT Administration, for its opinion.

Its Opinion to be sent to Admn for further action

It has been mentioned in the Bill that earlier, Delhi councillors used to elect a Rajya Sabha member when there was no Assembly there. Why Chandigarh should be deprived of its voice in the upper house. It is a very important issue. Saurabh Joshi, Councillor

The Administration had forwarded it to the civic body. The MC House will decide on this agenda at its meeting scheduled for Monday, and its opinion will be sent to the Local Government for further action.

“The proposed Bill for amendment to Article 80 and Fourth Schedule of the Constitution has been forwarded by the Ministry of Home Affairs for examination and comments by the UT Administration,” read a note from the Administration.

Councillor Saurabh Joshi said this agenda came before the House last year, but was sent to the UT Standing Council for its opinion. Now, it has come back to the MC as it is the civic body’s prerogative to decide on the matter.

“It has been mentioned in the Bill that earlier, Delhi councillors used to elect a Rajya Sabha member when there was no Assembly there. Why Chandigarh should be deprived of its voice in the upper house. It is a very important issue,” added the councillor.

Tewari had moved the Bill, saying that the member of the Rajya Sabha can be elected by an electoral college comprising elected members of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh.

The union territories of Puducherry, Jammu and Kashmir and the National Capital Territory of Delhi have representation in the Rajya Sabha, while Ladakh, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli — Daman and Diu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep are unrepresented in the upper house.

The proposed Bill was, however, specific to providing representation to Chandigarh in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill provides that one person shall be elected to the Rajya Sabha from Chandigarh.