State Legislature
Indian Polity · राज्य विधानमंडल
📋Quick Overview
The State Legislature consists of the Governor and the state legislative body. States can have either a unicameral (only Vidhan Sabha) or bicameral (Vidhan Sabha + Vidhan Parishad) legislature. Currently only 6 states have Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council): Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. The Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) is the lower but more powerful house — similar to Lok Sabha at the Centre.
⭐
Only 6 states have Vidhan Parishad: UP, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana — remember "U B MA KA AN TE"
📖Vidhan Sabha vs Vidhan Parishad
| Feature | Vidhan Sabha (Assembly) | Vidhan Parishad (Council) |
|---|---|---|
| Also called | Lower House / Legislative Assembly | Upper House / Legislative Council |
| Equivalent to | Lok Sabha (at Centre) | Rajya Sabha (at Centre) |
| Max Strength | 500 (min 60) | 1/3 of Vidhan Sabha strength (min 40) |
| Members | Directly elected by people | Indirectly elected + nominated |
| Term | 5 years | 6 years (1/3 retire every 2 years) |
| Min Age | 25 years | 30 years |
| Presiding Officer | Speaker | Chairman |
| Money Bill | Can ONLY be introduced here | Can only suggest (within 14 days) |
| Can be dissolved? | Yes (by Governor) | No — permanent body |
📖Vidhan Parishad — Composition (Election Method)
| Category | Percentage | Elected/Nominated By |
|---|---|---|
| Local body members | 1/3 | Elected by municipalities, Panchayats etc. |
| Vidhan Sabha members | 1/3 | Elected by MLAs |
| Graduates | 1/12 | Elected by graduates (3+ years) |
| Teachers | 1/12 | Elected by secondary school teachers (3+ years) |
| Governor's nominees | 1/6 | Nominated by Governor (arts, science, literature, social service, cooperative) |
📝Key Points — State Legislature
- •Creation/abolition of Vidhan Parishad: Parliament by Simple Majority under Art 169 (state assembly must pass resolution by Special Majority first)
- •Speaker of Vidhan Sabha elected by MLAs from among themselves
- •Governor can nominate 1 Anglo-Indian to Vidhan Sabha (removed by 104th Amendment, 2020)
- •Money Bill in state = same as Centre — only in Vidhan Sabha, Parishad has 14 days for recommendations
- •Ordinary Bill: If disagreement between two Houses, Vidhan Sabha's will prevails (no Joint Sitting in states)
- •UP has the largest Vidhan Sabha (403 seats) and largest Vidhan Parishad (100 seats)
📖State Legislature vs Parliament — Comparison
📝"First / Only" — Quick Facts
- •6 states with Vidhan Parishad: UP, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana
- •LARGEST Vidhan Sabha: UP (403 members)
- •SMALLEST Vidhan Sabha: Sikkim, Goa, Mizoram (40 each — minimum)
- •Jammu & Kashmir had special status with its own Constitution (abrogated 2019)
- •NO Joint Sitting in state legislature — this is a key difference from Parliament