President of India, Droupadi Murmu, has used the powers of the Indian Constitution to nominate four eminent personalities from various fields to the Rajya Sabha. The newly appointed members include Ujjwal Deorao Nikam, known as a special public prosecutor, senior social worker and education activist C. Sadanandan Master from Kerala, former Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla, and renowned historian Meenakshi Jain.
This appointment has been made against the backdrop of vacancies in the President-nominated seats in the Rajya Sabha, and this step has been taken to fill the void created after the tenure of former members was completed.
Ujjwal Nikam was born on March 30, 1953, in Jalgaon, Maharashtra. His father, Devarao Nikam, was a lawyer, while his mother, Vimaladevi, was an activist involved in the freedom struggle. Initially obtaining a degree in science, Nikam later completed his law education at S.S. Maniyar Law College in Jalgaon.
In their long career, they have successfully served as a public prosecutor in many high-profile criminal cases. They played a significant role in the Kalyan bomb blast case of 1991, the Mumbai serial bomb blasts of 1993, and in sentencing Ajmal Kasab to death in the trial of the 26/11 terrorist attack on Mumbai.
According to Article 80 of the Indian Constitution, the Rajya Sabha can have a maximum of 250 members. Among these, 238 members are elected from states and union territories, while the remaining 12 members are appointed by the President. This appointment is made under Article 80(1)(a) and 80(3), requiring outstanding contributions in the fields of literature, science, art, or social work.