Consider the following statements - 1. A private member in Rajya Sabha cannot initiate legislation on a subject of national importance. 2. A private member of Rajya Sabha can get alterations passed to legislation introduced in the Lok Sabha. Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Option 2 : 2 only

The correct answer is 2 only.

• A private member is an MP who is not a minister. He enjoys similar rights to that of a minister in Parliament, except that he cannot introduce money bills and some financial bills. So, statement 1 is wrong as a private member can initiate legislation, even on a subject of national importance.
• Statement 2 follows from the above. If a private member can introduce legislation, he can also get alternations passed to them.

• The Rajya Sabha functions primarily as the representative of the states of India in the Parliament.
• The Rajya Sabha can also initiate legislation and a bill is required to pass through the Rajya Sabha in order to become a law. It, therefore, has an important role of reviewing and altering (if alterations are needed) the laws initiated by the Lok Sabha