4th Schedule Of The Indian Constitution: Indian Polity Notes

The distribution of seats in the Upper House of Parliament is covered under the 4th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The number of members varies from one state to another. In simple terms, the Fourth Schedule outlines how the Rajya Sabha seats will be distributed among the several States of India and Union Territories.

From the UPSC Exam perspective, this article will be worth reading. Schedule 4 of the Indian Constitution is a part of the Indian Polity of UPSC Syllabus.

4th Schedule Of The Indian Constitution

1. Schedule 4 of the Indian constitution lays down the details of how the seats are allocated to state and union territories in the Council of States. The 7th amendment of the Indian Constitution modified this schedule.
2. Article 80(2) states that the Fourth Schedule’s rules in this regard must be followed when allocating seats in the Council of States to representatives of the States and of the Union territories.
3. The number of elected Rajya Sabha seats allocated to States and Union Territories has fluctuated since 1952 as a result of the restructuring of States and the creation of new States.
4. There is only one representative from states like Goa, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Nagaland while there are no representatives from the Union territories of Lakshadweep, Chandigarh, Dadra, and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, the Dadra and Nagar Haveli Islands, or Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Rajya Sabha.

Main Provisions

1. The Rajya Sabha may consist of no more than 250 people, as stated in Article 80 of the Constitution. Of these 250 members, 12 members are chosen by the President, and 238 members represent the States and two Union Territories.
2. There are now 245 members of the Rajya Sabha. In this, 233 represent the states and union territories of Delhi and Puducherry and 12 members are chosen by the President.

From the following links, applicants can study more articles pertinent to their forthcoming UPSC Prelims Exam, UPSC Mains Exam or any other competitive exams:

1st Schedule Of Indian Constitution	2nd Schedule Of Indian Constitution
3rd Schedule Of Indian Constitution	5th Schedule Of Indian Constitution
7th Schedule Of Indian Constitution	Anti Defection Law | 10th Schedule Of Indian Constitution
11th Schedule Of Indian Constitution	12th Schedule Of Indian Constitution
Important Amendments Of Indian Constitution For UPSC CSE	Tricks To Remember Amendments Of Indian Constitution
UPSC Exam Pattern	7th Amendment Of Indian Constitution

History Of Fourth Schedule

1. 217 people made up the Rajya Sabha when the Constitution of India was approved in the year 1949.
2. The Rajya Sabha was to have 216 members when the Constitution went into effect on January 26, 1950; 12 of those members would be presidential nominees, and the other 204 would be elected representatives of the States.
3. The Fourth Schedule was amended by three acts. These are –
   • the Andhra State Act, 1953,
   • the Bihar and West Bengal (Transfer of Territories) Act, 1956, and
   • the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
4. In1954, there were 207 elective seats overall, up from 204. They further added thirteen elective seats to make it 220 in 1956.
5. The 4th Schedule was also modified each time a new state was created or a change was made to existing legislation.
6. Currently, the strength is 245 members. In this, 233 are representatives of the Union territories and States and 12 members are nominated by the Indian President.

Allocation Of Seats To Each State And Union Territory

State/Union Territory Of India	Number of Seats
Andhra Pradesh	11
Arunachal Pradesh	1
Assam	7
Bihar	16
Chhattisgarh	5
Goa	1
Gujarat	11
Haryana	5
Himachal Pradesh	3
Jharkhand	6
Karnataka	12
Kerala	9
Madhya Pradesh	11
Maharashtra	19
Manipur	1
Meghalaya	1
Mizoram	1
Nagaland	1
Odisha	10
Punjab	7
Rajasthan	10
Sikkim	1
Tamil Nadu	18
Telangana	7
Tripura	1
Uttar Pradesh	31
Uttarakhand	3
West Bengal	16
National Capital Territory of Delhi	3
Puducherry	1
Jammu & Kashmir	4
Nominated Members	12
Total	245

Conclusion

The allocation of seats with respect to States is revealed in the fourth schedule. From State to State, there are different numbers of members. Simply defined, the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution specifies how the various States and Union Territories would be allocated seats in the Rajya Sabha. The article also covers the history of the Fourth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. For General Studies Paper 2 on Indian Politics, the article is helpful.

UPSC Previous Year Questions

Q1. Which one of the following statements correctly describes the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution of India? [UPSC 2001]

(a) It lists the distribution of powers between the Union and the states

(b) It contains the languages listed in the Constitution

(c) It contains the languages listed in the Constitution

(d) It allocates seats in the Council of States

A1. d) The 4th Schedule of the Constitution details how Rajya Sabha seats are distributed to States and Union Territories. The allotment is dependent on the population of states and UTs; thus, all states and only Delhi and Puducherry have representation in the Rajya Sabha.

FAQs On The Fourth Schedule Of The Indian Constitution