Nineteen newly elected and re-elected members of the Rajya Sabha took oath on Monday in Parliament.
The oath was administered by Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan in the House Chamber, in the presence of senior officials and Union ministers, including Kiren Rijiju and Jual Oram.
Members from four states sworn in
The newly sworn-in members represent four states – Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Odisha.
From Maharashtra, those who took oath include Ramdas Athawale, Maya Chintaman Ivnate, Sharad Pawar, Ramrao Sakharam Wadkute, and Jyoti Nagnath Waghmare.
Tamil Nadu members include Christopher Manickam, Anbumani Ramadoss, Constandine Ravindran, L. K. Sudhish, M. Thambidurai, and Tiruchi Siva.
From West Bengal, the members are Babul Supriyo, Menaka Guruswamy, Rajeev Kumar, Rukmini Mallik, and Biswajit Sinha. Odisha is represented by Santrupt Mishra, Dilip Kumar Ray, and Manmohan Samal.
Government calls for constructive role
Congratulating the members, Rijiju described the ceremony as a “special occasion,” noting that it was held even though Parliament is not currently in session.
“I congratulate the newly elected MPs and wish them success and good performance in the House. I hope they will help improve the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha by making their valuable contributions,” he said.
Push for consensus on Women’s Reservation
Rijiju also called for unity across political parties on the proposed Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill, which is expected to be taken up during a special Parliament session from April 16.
“Women’s reservation isn’t a matter of any one party. It’s a matter of the entire political parties and the country. Women’s power, women’s empowerment. This should be a collective effort. There shouldn’t be any politics in this,” he said.
He added that while several opposition parties have supported the move, some, including Congress, have yet to fully engage, expressing hope for broader consensus.
The amendment to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam – which seeks to ensure 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures – will require a two-thirds majority in Parliament, making cross-party support crucial.
(With ANI inputs)
