Rajya Sabha chairman announces retirement of 11 Rajya Sabha members

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday announced the names of 11 members who will be retiring from the Upper House after completing their term in November, this year.

"Today, we bid farewell to some of our colleagues from the state of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand namely Dr Chhatrapal Singh Yadav, Javed Ali Khan, PL Punia, Ravi Prakash Verma, Raja Ram, Ram Gopal Yadav, Veer Singh, Hardeep Singh Puri, Neeraj Shekhar, Arun Singh and Raj Babbar who would be retiring in the month of November," Naidu said in Rajya Sabha.

"While retirement marks the completion of the terms of Rajya Sabha members, it also infuses them a sense of fulfillment and contentment of having to serve the people of this country. The retiring members have contributed significantly to this house. They have dedicated to the cause of democracy. Though many would come re-elected those who would not, the house will miss them," he added.

Naidu said that the retiring members will continue to serve the cause of the people and strengthen democracy.

"They have retired but not tired. They will continue to serve the people and will address the cause of people. I wish them good health and happiness and many more years of service to the nation. I hope that they will strengthen democracy by serving the cause of people," he said.

Each member of the Rajya Sabha is elected for a term of six years. One-third of the members retire every second year and fresh elections are held to elect new members.