When was the Rajya Sabha first constituted?

By Balaji

Updated on: February 17th, 2023

The Rajya Sabha was constituted for the first time on 3 April 1952. It cannot be dissolved as it is a permanent house. The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919, which established a bicameral legislature, the Legislative Assembly (the future Lok Sabha), and the Council of States, gave rise to the Rajya Sabha (the future Rajya Sabha).

Table of content

1. Constitution of Rajya Sabha
2. When was the Rajya Sabha first constituted?

Constitution of Rajya Sabha

The Council of States was founded in 1921 following the passage of the Government of India Act of 1919. After India gained independence and became a republic in 1950, there was a lot of debate in the Constituent Assembly about whether to add a Second Chamber to the House.

To meet the needs of a nation as diverse and expansive as India, a bicameral legislature was chosen.
It was intended to have a different membership and election process from the House of the People (Lok sabha).
The Parliament’s upper house was known as the Council of States.
The first Council of States was established on April 3, 1952, following the first round of general elections.
The Council changed its name to Rajya Sabha on August 23, 1954.
As the nation’s vice president, Dr S. Radhakrishnan presided over the first session of the Rajya Sabha and served as the upper house’s ex officio chairman.
The First Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha was S V Krishnamoorthy Rao.

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