CHANDIGARH, July 1: The proposed Punjab Vidhan Parishad, which is being revived after a gap of 27 years, would have 40 members enjoying a six-year tenure with a provision that one-third of the members would retire biennially.

This is the minimum strength of the Upper House or the Legislative Council laid down in the Constitution which also provides that it would not exceed one-third of the total membership of 117 of the State Legislative Assembly.

The previous Council too had 40 members before its abolition in January 1970.The new House, according to the constitutional procedure, would be constituted through both election and nomination with a majority of the members being elected directly or indirectly.

While 13 seats would be filled through election by members of the State Assembly, an equal number would be elected by the local authorities constituency comprising municipal corporations, municipal committees and councils, zila parishads and panchayat samitis.

Three seats each would be filled through direct election from constituencies of teachers and graduates.The remaining eight members would be nominated by the Punjab Governor so as to give representation to eminent men of letters, artists, educationists, scientists, journalists etc.

While the ruling party would be able to ``accommodate'' a number of prominent people in the Upper House, the institution itself would be a drain on the scanty state resources. Besides incurring monthly expenditure of about Rs 10 lakh on salaries and perks of the Council members, it would also require a separate establishment, library and building of a new hall to conduct its proceedings. Earlier, the abolition of the Council had necessitated dismantling of these facilities and the staff was absorbed in other departments and cities while the hall was transferred to Haryana Assembly.

The Union Cabinet, last week, approved the proposals to revive upper houses in Punjab and Tamil Nadu. The concept of the upper house, including Rajya Sabha at the Centre, is a derivation from the House of Lords in England.How soon the proposed Council is constituted in Punjab would depend on the will and political calculations of the government at the Centre as the ball is still in the latter's court. It would require a legislation, which will need the approval of the President before the actual process to constitute the House is started.

Punjab's case has been lingering on before Parliament for more than two decades. The Assembly first passed a resolution to revive the Council on March 26, 1976, and sent it to Parliament for bringing about the requisite legislation. However, both the Assembly and the Lok Sabha were dissolved soon afterward and the case was thrown in a limbo.

Another resolution was passed unanimously by the Assembly on April 7, 1993 under then Chief Minister Beant Singh and sent to Parliament which now has been granted approval by the Union Cabinet. The resolution pleaded that increase in workload of legislators required creation of Upper House. While the Congress which had initiated the revival move, is now silent on the issue, the ruling Akalis have hailed the step whereas the BJP, has opposed it.

When the Assembly had recommended abolition of the Council on March 24, 1969, in the face of walk-out by the Congress, the resolution was moved by the then Akali CM Gurnam Singh and seconded by Balramji Tandon, then industrie sminister belonging to the Jan Sangh. Besides other Akali leaders, the resolution was strongly endorsed by Beant Singh, then an Independent MLA.In fact, Punjab had to fight a long battle for bicameralism during pre-Independence days. The first resolution seeking constitution of second House of legislature was introduced in the State council on November 10, 1932 by Revenue Minister Sikander Hayat Khan but it was lost.

Later, the proposal also figured in both the Houses of British Parliament during debate on India Bill of 1935. It was rejected mainly on the ground of its having fallen in the local council.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.