Neel says the Rajya Sabha is pointless and undemocratic because its members are not directly…
Neel says the Rajya Sabha is pointless and undemocratic because its members are not directly elected by the people. Priya says it does a job the Lok Sabha cannot. Who is right?
Who do you think is right? Pick one.
The answer: Priya is right
Why
Neel has a fair instinct: direct election is the strongest democratic link, and a house without it deserves scrutiny. But 'not directly elected' is not the same as 'not accountable'. Rajya Sabha members are chosen by the elected members of the state legislatures, so the chain back to voters exists, it just runs through the states, and that is the point of the house. It represents the states as units in the national parliament, so a few very populous states cannot rewrite everything alone; it reviews bills the Lok Sabha passes in a hurry and sends its objections back; and because only a part of it changes at a time, it carries continuity across elections. Test: find a bill the Rajya Sabha amended or held up, and read why. Priya is right: the second chamber checks and steadies the first, and its members are accountable through the states.
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