Understanding the Council of States (Rajya Sabha)

The question asks about the number of members nominated by the President to the Council of States. The Council of States is also known as the Rajya Sabha, which is the upper house of the Parliament of India. The composition of the Rajya Sabha is defined by Article 80 of the Constitution of India.

Composition of the Rajya Sabha

Article 80 of the Constitution outlines the composition of the Council of States. It specifies two categories of members:

1. Representatives of the States and Union Territories.
2. Members nominated by the President.

Nominated Members of Rajya Sabha

The Constitution provides for the nomination of a certain number of members by the President. These nominated members are individuals who have special knowledge or practical experience in matters like literature, science, art, and social service. The purpose of nominating such members is to provide the Rajya Sabha with the expertise and perspective that may not always come through the electoral process.

Article 80 and Nominated Members

Article 80 (1)(a) states that the Council of States shall consist of "twelve members to be nominated by the President in accordance with the provisions of clause (3)".

Article 80 (3) specifies that the members to be nominated by the President shall consist of persons having special knowledge or practical experience in respect of such matters as the following, namely: literature, science, art and social service.

Determining the Correct Number

Based on Article 80 of the Constitution of India, the number of members to be nominated by the President to the Council of States is explicitly stated as twelve.

Comparing with the Options

Let's compare the constitutional provision with the given options:

• Option 1: six
• Option 2: ten
• Option 3: twelve
• Option 4: five

The number specified in the Constitution is twelve, which matches Option 3.

Revision Table: Council of States

Conclusion

The Council of States consists of twelve members nominated by the President. These nominations are made from individuals with expertise in specific fields as mentioned in the Constitution.

Additional Information on Rajya Sabha Composition

The total strength of the Rajya Sabha is currently 245. Out of these, 233 members represent the States and Union Territories, and 12 members are nominated by the President. The representatives of each State are elected by the elected members of the Legislative Assembly of the State in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote. Representatives of Union Territories are chosen in such manner as Parliament may by law prescribe.