Polity & Governance GS 2 In the news 3 times

Federalism and Representation

The Rajya Sabha Counterweight

India's bicameral Parliament provides a partial counterweight to population-based Lok Sabha representation through the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). However, Rajya Sabha seat allocation is also population-linked (proportional to state assembly strength), not equal per state — unlike the US Senate.

Key details

Rajya Sabha: 245 seats (238 elected by state legislative assemblies + 12 nominated)
Seats are population-proportional across states, not equal per state (unlike US Senate model)
Seventh Schedule distributes legislative subjects between Union List, State List, and Concurrent List
Finance Commission and inter-governmental transfers partially compensate for representation asymmetries
Some scholars have argued for a reformed Rajya Sabha with equal state representation as a federalism safeguard

In the news

● Tracked since April 04, 2026 · last seen April 16, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes

16 Apr '26

Delimitation Will Not Reduce South's Share of Seats, Government Tells Parliament

Polity & Governance

14 Apr '26

Women's Reservation and Delimitation Bills: Why Government Needs Opposition to Pass Them

Polity & Governance

04 Apr '26

Delimitation Exercise Raises Concerns Over Punjab's Parliamentary Representation

Polity & Governance

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