<–2/”>a >Articles 168 to 212 in Part VI of the Constitution deal with the organisation, composition, duration, officers, procedures, privileges, powers and so on of the State Legislature.In most of the States, the Legislature consists of the Governor and the Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha). This means that these State have unicameral Legislature. In a Six States( Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.), there are two Houses of the Legislature namely, Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) and Legislative council (Vidhan Parishad) besides the Governor.Where there are two Houses, the Legislature, is known as bicameral.Five States have the bicameral, legislature. The Legislative Assembly is known as lower House or popular House. The Legislative Council is known as upper House.
There is a Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) in every State. It represents the people of State. The members of Vidhan Sabha are directly elected by people on the basis of universal Adult Franchise. They are directly elected by all adult citizens registered as voters in the State. All men and Women who are 18 years of age and above are eligible to be included in the voters’ List.
There are certain qualifications prescribed by the Constitution for being elected as an M. L. A. The candidate must:
- be a citizen of India;
- have attained the age of 25 years;
- have his/her name in the voters’ list;
- not hold any Office of Profit; and
- not be a government servant.
Subject to the provisions of ARTICLE 333, the Legislative Assembly of each State shall consist of not more than five hundred, and not less than sixty, members chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies in the State.
The Legislative council or Vidhan Parishad is partly elected and partly nominated. Most of the members are indirectly elected in accordance with the principle of Proportional Representation by means of single transferable vote system. Different categories of members represent different interests. The composition of the Legislative Council is as follows:
i. One-third members of the Council are elected by the members of the Vidhan Sabha.
ii. One-third of the members of the Vidhan Parishad are elected by the electorates consisting of members of Municipalities, District Boards and other local bodies in the State;
iii. One-twelfth members are elected by the electorate consisting of graduates in the State with a standing of three years;
iv. One-twelfth members are elected by the electorate consisting of teachers of educatioal institutions within the State not lower in standard than a secondary school who have teaching experience of at least three years;
v. The remaining, i.e. about one-sixth members are nominated by the Governor from amongst the persons having special knowledge in the sphere of literature, science, arts, co-operative movement and social service.
The State Legislature is empowered to make laws on State List and Concurrent List. The Parliament and the Legislative Assemblies have the right to make the laws on the subjects mentioned in the Concurrent List. But in case of contradiction between the Union and State law on the subject the law made by the Parliament shall prevail.
State legislature has exclusive powers over subjects enumerated in List II of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution and concurrent powers over those enumerated in List III. Financial powers of legislature include authorisation of all expenditure, Taxation and borrowing by the State Government. Legislative assembly alone has power to originate Money bills. Legislative council can make only recommendations in respect of changes it considers necessary within a period of fourteen days of the receipt of money bills from Assembly. Assembly can accept or reject these recommendations.
State legislatures, apart from exercising the usual power of financial control, use all normal parliamentary devices like questions, discussions, debates, adjournments and no-confidence motions and resolutions to keep a watch over day-to-day work of the executive. They also have their committees on estimates and public accounts to ensure that grants sanctioned by legislature are properly utilised.,
The state legislature is the legislative body of a state government. It is responsible for making laws, overseeing the executive branch, and representing the interests of the people of the state.
The composition of the state legislature varies from state to state. In some states, there is a unicameral legislature, meaning that there is only one house of representatives. In other states, there is a bicameral legislature, meaning that there are two houses of representatives: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the state legislature. It is usually composed of members who are elected from single-member districts. The number of members in the Legislative Assembly varies from state to state.
The Legislative Council is the upper house of the state legislature. It is usually composed of members who are elected from multi-member districts or who are appointed by the governor. The number of members in the Legislative Council varies from state to state.
The state legislature meets in sessions. The length of each session varies from state to state. The state legislature also has officers, such as the speaker of the house, the president pro tempore of the senate, and the clerk of the house.
The state legislature has several powers. The most important power is the power to make laws. The state legislature also has the power to raise and appropriate funds, to supervise the executive branch, to impeach officials, and to perform other functions.
The state legislature makes laws by passing bills. A bill is a proposed law that is introduced by a member of the state legislature. The bill is then referred to a committee, which studies the bill and makes recommendations. The bill is then debated on the floor of the legislature and voted on. If the bill passes both houses of the legislature, it is sent to the governor. The governor can sign the bill into law, veto the bill, or allow the bill to become law without signing it.
The state legislature also has the power to raise and appropriate funds. The state legislature can levy taxes, borrow money, and appropriate funds for state programs.
The state legislature also has the power to supervise the executive branch. The state legislature can confirm the appointment of executive officials, impeach executive officials, and override executive vetoes.
The state legislature also has the power to impeach officials. Impeachment is a process by which an official is removed from office. The state legislature can impeach officials for treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.
The state legislature also has other functions. The state legislature can ratify amendments to the U.S. Constitution, elect members of the U.S. Senate, and call for special Elections.
The state legislature is an important part of the state government. It is responsible for making laws, overseeing the executive branch, and representing the interests of the people of the state.
What is a state legislature?
A state legislature is the legislative body of a state. It is responsible for making laws for the state.
What are the powers of a state legislature?
The powers of a state legislature are set out in the state constitution. They typically include the power to make laws, to levy taxes, to borrow money, and to create and maintain state government.
How is a state legislature organized?
The organization of a state legislature is set out in the state constitution. Most state legislatures are bicameral, meaning they have two houses. The two houses are typically called the Senate and the House of Representatives.
How are members of a state legislature elected?
Members of a state legislature are typically elected by the people of the state. In some states, members of the Senate are elected for four-year terms, while members of the House of Representatives are elected for two-year terms. In other states, all members of the legislature are elected for four-year terms.
What are the qualifications for serving in a state legislature?
The qualifications for serving in a state legislature are set out in the state constitution. Typically, a person must be a citizen of the United States, a resident of the state, and of a certain age (usually 25 or 30).
What are the duties of members of a state legislature?
The duties of members of a state legislature include:
- Making laws
- Approving the state budget
- Confirming the appointment of state officials
- Overseeing the state government
- Representing the interests of their constituents
What are the challenges facing state legislatures?
State legislatures face a number of challenges, including:
- Budget deficits
- Partisan gridlock
- Public dissatisfaction
- Term limits
What is the future of state legislatures?
The future of state legislatures is uncertain. Some experts believe that they will continue to play an important role in American government, while others believe that they will become increasingly irrelevant.
-
The legislative body of a state is called the:
(A) State Assembly
(B) State Council
(C) State Legislature
(D) State Parliament -
The State Legislature is responsible for making laws in the state.
(A) True
(B) False -
The State Legislature is made up of elected representatives of the people.
(A) True
(B) False -
The State Legislature has the power to levy taxes, borrow money, and make appropriations for the state government.
(A) True
(B) False -
The State Legislature has the power to create and abolish state departments and offices.
(A) True
(B) False -
The State Legislature has the power to pass laws on a wide range of subjects, including Education, Health, transportation, and public safety.
(A) True
(B) False -
The State Legislature is responsible for electing the state’s governor.
(A) True
(B) False -
The State Legislature is responsible for confirming the appointments of the state’s judges.
(A) True
(B) False -
The State Legislature has the power to impeach the state’s governor and other state officials.
(A) True
(B) False -
The State Legislature has the power to ratify amendments to the U.S. Constitution.
(A) True
(B) False