A Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha (abbreviated: MP) is the representative of the Indian states to one of the two houses of the Parliament of India (Rajya Sabha). Rajya Sabha MPs are elected by the electoral college of the elected members of the State Assembly with a system of proportional representation by a single transferable vote. The Parliament of India is bicameral with two houses; Rajya Sabha (Upper house i.e. Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (Lower house i.e. House of the People). Compared to the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha has fewer members and its members have more restricted power. Unlike the Lok Sabha, the Rajya Sabha is a permanent body and cannot be dissolved at any time. However every second year, one third of the members are retired and the vacancies are filled by fresh elections and Presidential nomination at the beginning of every third year. Source: Wikipedia (en)