The Rajasthan Rajya Sabha seats are filled through:
Correct answer: (B) Election by MLAs of Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha.
Rajasthan's Rajya Sabha representatives are elected by the elected members of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly through proportional representation by the single transferable vote.
Explanation
The Constitution treats Rajya Sabha seats for States as representatives of the States, not as seats filled by a direct public poll or by executive choice. Article 80 says that the representatives of each State in the Council of States are elected by the elected members of that State's Legislative Assembly, and it specifies proportional representation through the single transferable vote. Applying that rule to Rajasthan, the electoral college for Rajasthan's Rajya Sabha seats is the elected membership of the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha. The core distinction is therefore between an indirect constitutional election by MLAs and other routes such as nomination, direct election by citizens, or selection by a recruiting body.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) The Governor does not fill Rajasthan's Rajya Sabha seats; Article 80 places State representatives in the Council of States in an MLA-based election route.
- (C) Citizens do not directly vote for Rajasthan's Rajya Sabha members, because the constitutional electorate for State representatives is the elected members of the State Legislative Assembly.
- (D) RPSC is a recruitment body and has no role in filling Rajya Sabha seats, which are filled through the constitutional election method stated in Article 80.
Concept
This tests the Polity concept of Rajya Sabha composition and indirect election. It recurs in RAS because Rajasthan polity questions often ask which constitutional body elects or appoints a public office-holder.