NOMINATION // Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, industrialist Anu Aga and Bollywood actor Rekha became the latest Members of the Rajya Sabha, as the Centre announced their names in the new list of entrants for 2012. President Pratibha Patil approved the names under Article 80 of the Indian Constitution which allows the President to nominate 12 Members to the 250-Member Upper House. The decision to nominate cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was received with mixed responses. Actors Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan lauded the honour, while Opposition leader Ravi Shankar Prasad pointed out that the Parliament was ‘serious business’ and that Tendulkar would be expected to attend his sessions regularly. “I know with this nomination, there will be even more responsibilities for me,” said Tendulkar. However, the cricket legend failed to take his oath as a Parliamentarian even two weeks after his name was announced, as did Rekha, leading to an argument on whether celebrities should participate in politics. Industrialist-cum-social worker Anu Aga, also a member of the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council, took her oath within two weeks of the nomination announcement.