NEW DELHI -- Six people, including Olympics medal-winning boxer Mary Kom, have been recommended by the central government for nomination to the Rajya Sabha. The list, that was approved by the union cabinet and Prime Minister's Office on Thursday, has been sent to President Pranab Mukherjee for approval.
Others on the list include former cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, journalist Swapan Dasgupta, economist Narendra Jadhav, and Malayalam actor Suresh Gopi. Seven out of the 12 seats for nominated members of the Upper House of Parliament are vacant at the moment.
Usually, those nominated by the President for these seats include Indian citizens who have special knowledge or significant personal contribution to the fields of literature, science, art, and social service.
According to reports, the Bharatiya Janata Party wants to fill the vacancies before the Parliament session begins Monday, where the Goods & Services Tax (GST) bill proposed by the ruling government is facing stiff opposition from Congress. If the nominated members support the bill, it will be of crucial help to the BJP, though they still need to secure the support of other non-NDA members of the parliament.
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