Q. With reference to the electoral procedure of the Rajya Sabha, consider the following statements:
1. Candidate contesting from a particular state should be registered as an elector in that same state.
2. Election of Rajya Sabha members is done through open ballot system instead of secret ballot system.
Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?
Exp) Option b is the correct answer.
Statement 1 is incorrect: Although earlier it was a requirement that a candidate contesting for a RS seat from a particular state should also be a registered voter in that state, later, after the amendment of the Representation of People Act, 1951 in 2003, this provision was removed. This amendment was also upheld by the Supreme Court in 2006. So as of today, a person contesting for any seat in any state in RS elections can be a voter in any state of India, not necessarily the state in question.
Statement 2 is correct: In 2003 open ballot system was introduced instead of secret ballot system. This was done to curb cross-voting and to wipe out the role of money power during Rajya Sabha elections. Under the new system, an elector belonging to a political party has to show the ballot paper after marking his vote to a nominated agent of that political party.
