Context
Elections to 28 Legislative Council seats across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka have renewed discussions about the role of Legislative Councils in India’s state legislatures. These debates focus on their composition, indirect election process and relevance as a second legislative chamber.
Explanation
- Article 168 provides for bicameral state legislatures comprising a Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) and a Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad).
- Currently, six states have Legislative Councils: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
- Under Article 169, Parliament can create or abolish a Council by law following an Assembly resolution passed by a special majority.
- Article 171 limits Council membership to one-third of Assembly strength, with a minimum of 40 members.
- Members serve six-year terms, with one-third retiring every two years; the minimum age is 30 years.
- Members are chosen through local authorities (1/3), MLAs (1/3), graduates (1/12), teachers (1/12) and Governor’s nominations (1/6).
- Elections use proportional representation by single transferable vote.
- Councils cannot permanently block ordinary bills or reject Money Bills; they possess only delaying powers.
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State Legislative Councils: Composition, Elections and Powers