Who amongst the following are not included in the electoral college for the election of the President of India?

The answer is D. Article 54 of the Constitution sets the electoral college for the President as the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States (and, after the 70th Amendment of 1992, of the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry). Members of the Legislative Councils are not part of it.

• A is included: elected Lok Sabha members form part of the electoral college.
• B is included: the Council of States is the old name for the Rajya Sabha, so its elected members vote.
• C is included: elected MLAs of the States vote, and nominated members do not.
• D is not included: elected members of State Legislative Councils have no role in presidential elections.

The core concept is the indirect election of the President under Articles 54 and 55, and the value of each vote is set by the population-based formula in Article 55. This is a standard Mains link to federal representation and the President's role as a symbol of the Union.

Trap: aspirants see "Council" in option D and the "Council of States" in option B and assume both are legislative councils. Remember that Rajya Sabha is the Council of States, while State Legislative Councils are excluded.