Question

Which one of the following does not constitute the electoral college for electing the President of India ?

• A. Elected members of Lok Sabha
• B. Elected members of Rajya Sabha
• C. Elected members of Legislative Council
• D. Elected members of Legislative Assembly of each State

Hint:

Only ELECTED members of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabhas) vote for the President.
Nominated members and ALL members of Legislative Councils (Vidhan Parishads) are excluded.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks to identify which category of legislators is excluded from the electoral college that votes in the presidential election in India.
We need to refer to Article 54 of the Constitution.


Step 2: Key Principle / Approach:
Article 54 of the Constitution of India defines the composition of the electoral college responsible for electing the President.


Step 3: Detailed Explanation:

• Under Article 54, the President is elected by an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both Houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha).

• It also includes the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabhas) of all the States, including the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry.

• Nominated members of both Parliament and Legislative Assemblies are strictly excluded from this voting process to maintain democratic integrity.

• Members of the Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad), which is the upper house in bicameral state legislatures, do not participate in the presidential election.

• This exclusion is because not all Indian states have a Legislative Council, and including them would create an unequal weight of representation among states.

• Therefore, the elected members of Legislative Councils do not constitute a part of the electoral college.



Step 4: Final Answer:
Elected members of the Legislative Council do not constitute the electoral college for electing the President, corresponding to Option (C).