Rajya Sabha elections: Peculiar rules, process, and how it is different from Lok Sabha polls
Upper House are elected for a term of six years, and hence polls are held every two years for 33 percent of the seats.
Rajya Sabha Seat Allocation
Currently, the Rajya Sabha has a strength of 245 members representing States and Union Territories including Delhi and Puducherry. Out of the total 245 members, 12 are directly nominated by the President who are veterans in the fields of art, literature, sports, science, etc.
Based on population, each state is allocated a certain number of seats in the Upper House. For instance, Uttar Pradesh has 31 Rajya Sabha seats while Goa has one. Members of the state legislative assemblies choose Rajya Sabha members through an indirect election system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote (STV).
Rajya Sabha Election Process
In contrast to Lok Sabha elections, where members are directly elected, Rajya Sabha members are elected by members of state legislative assemblies and Union territories using a single transferable vote system. In this system, the voting power of each MLA is determined by the population of their respective constituencies.
To be elected, a candidate must secure a specific number of votes known as quotas. The quota is determined by dividing the total valid votes by the number of seats available plus one. In states with multiple seats, the initial quota is calculated by multiplying the number of MLAs by 100, as each MLA's vote is valued at 100.
When filling out the ballot paper with names of candidates from various parties, MLAs
