Question

Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): The Council of States shall also consist of twelve members to be nominated by the President of India.
Reason (R): The representatives of the Union Territories in the Council of States shall be chosen in such manner as Parliament may by law prescribe.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

• A. Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
• B. Both (A) and (R) are correct but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
• C. (A) is correct but (R) is not correct
• D. (A) is not correct but (R) is correct

Hint:

The Rajya Sabha is a mix of:
1. Elected members from States/UTs.
2. Nominated members (12) by the President.
These are two distinct categories of membership.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: Article 80 of the Indian Constitution specifies the composition of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States).

Step 1: Evaluating Assertion (A).
Assertion (A) is correct. According to Article 80(1)(a), the Council of States shall consist of twelve members to be nominated by the President in accordance with the provisions of clause (3), which requires them to have special knowledge or practical experience in literature, science, art, and social service.

Step 2: Evaluating Reason (R).
Reason (R) is correct. Article 80(5) states that the representatives of the Union Territories in the Council of States shall be chosen in such manner as Parliament may by law prescribe. Currently, they are chosen by an electoral college consisting of elected members of the Legislative Assemblies (for UTs that have them).

Step 3: Analyzing the Relationship.
Both statements are accurate constitutional provisions found within Article 80. However, the nomination of 12 members by the President (A) is completely independent of the manner in which UT representatives are chosen (R). The method of choosing UT members does not explain why the President nominates 12 people.