The
Vidhan Sabha or the
Legislative Assembly is the lower house (in states with bicameral) or the sole house (in unicameral states) of the provincial (state)
legislatureA legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
in the different states of India. The same name is also used for the lower house of the legislatures for two of the union territories,
DelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
and Pondicherry. The upper house in the six states with a bicameral legislature is called the Legislative Council, or
Vidhan ParishadThe Vidhan Parishad is the upper house in those states of India that have a bicameral legislature. , six states have a Legislative Council: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh...
. Members of a Vidhan Sabha are direct representatives of the people of the particular state as they are
directly electedDirect election is a term describing a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the person, persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are chosen depends upon the...
by an electorate consisting of all adult citizens of that state. Its maximum size as outlined in the
Constitution of IndiaThe Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
is not more than 500 members and not less than 60. However, the size of the Vidhan Sabha can be less than 60 members through an Act of
ParliamentThe Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
, such is the case in the states of
GoaGoa , a former Portuguese colony, is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in South West India in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its...
,
SikkimSikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...
and
MizoramMizoram is one of the Seven Sister States in North Eastern India, sharing borders with the states of Tripura, Assam, Manipur and with the neighbouring countries of Bangladesh and Burma. Mizoram became the 23rd state of India on 20 February 1987. Its capital is Aizawl. Mizoram is located in the...
. The Governor can appoint 1 member to represent the
Anglo-IndianAnglo-Indians are people who have mixed Indian and British ancestry, or people of British descent born or living in India, now mainly historical in the latter sense. British residents in India used the term "Eurasians" for people of mixed European and Indian descent...
community if he or she finds that community to not be adequately represented in the House.
Each Vidhan Sabha is formed for a five year term after which all seats are up for election. During a
State of EmergencyA state of emergency in India refers to a period of governance under an altered constitutional setup that can be proclaimed by the President of India, when he perceives grave threats to the nation from internal and external sources or from financial situations of crisis...
, its term may be extended past five years or it may be dissolved. It can also be dissolved if a
motion of no confidenceA motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
is passed within it against the majority party or coalition.
Qualifications required to become a member
To become a member of a Vidhan Sabha, a person must be a citizen of
IndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, not less than 25 years of age. He should be mentally sound and should not be bankrupt. He should also state an
affidavitAn affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
that there are no
criminal procedureCriminal procedure refers to the legal process for adjudicating claims that someone has violated criminal law.-Basic rights:Currently, in many countries with a democratic system and the rule of law, criminal procedure puts the burden of proof on the prosecution – that is, it is up to the...
s against him
Speaker of Vidhan SabhaThe term speaker is a title often given to the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body. The speaker's official role is to moderate debate, make rulings on procedure, announce the results of votes, and the like. The speaker decides who may speak and has the...
who is responsible for the conduct of business of the body, and also a Deputy Speaker to preside during the Speaker's absence. The Speaker acts as a neutral judge and manages all debates and discussions in the house. Usually he is a member of the stronger political party
A Vidhan Sabha holds equal legislative power with the
upper houseAn upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
of state legislature, the
Vidhan ParishadThe Vidhan Parishad is the upper house in those states of India that have a bicameral legislature. , six states have a Legislative Council: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh...
('Legislative Council'), except in the area of
money billsLoss of supply occurs where a government in a parliamentary democracy using the Westminster System or a system derived from it is denied a supply of treasury or exchequer funds, by whichever house or houses of parliament or head of state is constitutionally entitled to grant and deny supply. A...
in which case the Vidhan Sabha has the ultimate authority. If conflicting
legislationLegislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
is enacted by the two Houses, a joint sitting is held to resolve the differences.
Special powers of the Vidhan Sabha
A
motion of no confidenceA motion of no confidence is a parliamentary motion whose passing would demonstrate to the head of state that the elected parliament no longer has confidence in the appointed government.-Overview:Typically, when a parliament passes a vote of no...
against the government in the state can only be introduced in the Vidhan Sabha. If it is passed by a majority vote, then the Chief Minister and his Council of Ministers must collectively resign.
A
money billIn the Westminster system , a money bill or supply bill is a bill that solely concerns taxation or government spending , as opposed to changes in public law.- Conventions :...
can only be introduced in Vidhan Sabha. After it is passed in the Vidhan Sabha, it is sent to the Vidhan Parishad, where it can be kept for a maximum time of 14 days. Unless a by the Finance Minister of the state in the name of the Governor of that state.
In matters related to ordinary bills, after it is passed by the originating house (that is either Vidhan Sabha or Vidhan Parishad) it is sent to the other house, where it can be kept for a maximum period of 6 months time. If the other house rejects the bill or 6 months pass or the suggestions made by the other house is not acceptable to the originating house, it results in a situation of deadlock. This is resolved by the Governor by calling a joint session of both houses which is presided over by the speaker of the Vidhan Sabha and decided by a
simple majorityA majority is a subset of a group consisting of more than half of its members. This can be compared to a plurality, which is a subset larger than any other subset; i.e. a plurality is not necessarily a majority as the largest subset may consist of less than half the group's population...
. Since the Vidhan Sabha has greater numerical strength, it is in a position of advantage unless fractured by many different parties.
List of Vidhan Sabhas
| Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) | List of constituencies | Location/State Capital |
| Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh The Andhra Pradesh Legislature is the state legislature of Andhra Pradesh. The Andhra Pradesh legislature has been both unicameral and bicameral in its history.-State legislature:The Andhra Pradesh Legislature is currently bicameral....
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List of constituencies of Andhra Pradesh Vidhan Sabha |
Hyderabad |
| Legislative Assembly of Arunachal Pradesh The Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly is the unicameral state legislature of Arunachal Pradesh state in north-eastern India. The seat of the Legislative Assembly is at Itanagar, the capital of the state...
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List of constituencies of Arunachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha |
Itanagar Itanagar is the capital of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. Itanagar is situated at the foothills of Himalayas. It comes administratively under Papum Pare district....
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| Legislative Assembly of Assam The Assam Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of Assam. It is housed in Dispur, the capital of Assam. The legislative assembly comprises 126 Members of Legislative Assembly, directly elected from single-seat constituencies...
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List of constituencies of Assam Vidhan Sabha |
Dispur |
Legislative Assembly of BiharThe Bihar Vidhan Sabha , also known as the Bihar Legislative Assembly, is the lower house of the bicameral legislature of the Indian state of Bihar.-History:...
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List of constituencies of Bihar Vidhan Sabha |
Patna |
| Legislative Assembly of Chhattisgarh |
List of constituencies of Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha |
Raipur |
| Legislative Assembly of Delhi The Legislative Assembly of Delhi, also known as Vidhan Sabha, is a unicameral law making body of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, one of the 7 union territories in India...
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List of constituencies of Delhi Vidhan Sabha |
DelhiDelhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
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| Legislative Assembly of Goa |
List of constituencies of Goa Vidhan Sabha |
Panaji |
| Legislative Assembly of Gujarat |
List of constituencies of Gujarat Vidhan Sabha |
Gandhinagar |
| Legislative Assembly of Haryana |
List of constituencies of Haryana Vidhan Sabha |
Chandigarh Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
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| Legislative Assembly of Himachal Pradesh The Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha or the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. The present strength of the Vidhan Sabha is 68...
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List of constituencies of Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha |
ShimlaShimla , formerly known as Simla, is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. In 1864, Shimla was declared the summer capital of the British Raj in India. A popular tourist destination, Shimla is often referred to as the "Queen of Hills," a term coined by the British...
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| Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir |
List of constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir Vidhan Sabha |
SrinagarSrinagar is the summer seasonal capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. It is one of the largest cities in India not to have a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats...
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| Legislative Assembly of Jharkhand |
List of constituencies of Jharkhand Vidhan Sabha |
Ranchi-Climate:Ranchi has a humid subtropical climate. However, due to its position and the forests around the city, it is known for its pleasant climate. Its climate is the primary reason why Ranchi was once the summer capital of the undivided State of Bihar...
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| Legislative Assembly of Karnataka |
List of constituencies of Karnataka Vidhan Sabha |
BangaloreBengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
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Legislative Assembly of KeralaThe Kerala Legislative Assembly more popularly known as Niyamasabha , is the law making body of Kerala, one of the 28 States in India. The Assembly is formed by 140 elected representatives and one nominated member from the Anglo-Indian community...
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List of constituencies of Kerala Vidhan Sabha |
ThiruvananthapuramThiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
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| Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh The Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha or the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly is the unicameral state legislature of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The seat of the Vidhan Sabha is at Bhopal, the capital of the state. It is housed in the Vidhan Bhavan, an imposing building located at the...
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List of constituencies of Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha |
Bhopal |
| Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra The Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha or the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the bicameral legislature of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is situated in the Nariman Point area of South Mumbai in the capital Mumbai...
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List of constituencies of Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha |
MumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
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| Legislative Assembly of Manipur |
List of constituencies of Manipur Vidhan Sabha |
Imphal Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur.In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat, are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Kangla Fort used to be the home of the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force and on November 2004 it was handed over to state of Manipur by Prime minister Dr....
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| Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya |
List of constituencies of Meghalaya Vidhan Sabha |
Shillong -Connectivity:Although well connected by road, Shillong has no rail connection and a proper air connection. Umroi Airport exists but has only limited flights.-Roadways:Shillong is well connected by roads with all major north eastern states...
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| Legislative Assembly of Mizoram |
List of constituencies of Mizoram Vidhan Sabha |
Aizawl Aizawl is the capital of the state of Mizoram in India. With a resident population 228,280 , it is the largest city within the state. It is also the center of all important government offices, state assembly house and civil secretariat...
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| Legislative Assembly of Nagaland |
List of constituencies of Nagaland Vidhan Sabha |
Kohima Kohima is the hilly capital of India's north eastern border state of Nagaland which shares its borders with Burma. It lies in Kohima District and is also one of the three Nagaland towns with Municipal council status along with Dimapur and Mokokchung....
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| Legislative Assembly of Orissa |
List of constituencies of Orissa Vidhan Sabha |
Bhubaneshwar |
| Legislative Assembly of Punjab The Punjab Legislative Assembly or the Punjab Vidhan Sabha is the unicameral legislature of the state of Punjab in northern India. At present, it consists of 117 members, directly elected from 117 single-seat constituencies. The tenure of the legislative assembly is five years, unless sooner...
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List of constituencies of Punjab Vidhan Sabha |
Chandigarh Chandigarh is a union territory of India that serves as the capital of two states, Haryana and Punjab. The name Chandigarh translates as "The Fort of Chandi". The name is from an ancient temple called Chandi Mandir, devoted to the Hindu goddess Chandi, in the city...
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| Legislative Assembly of Rajasthan The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly or the Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is situated in Jaipur — the capital of the state. Members of the Legislative assembly are directly elected by the people. Presently, the legislative assembly...
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List of constituencies of Rajasthan Vidhan Sabha |
JaipurJaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
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| Legislative Assembly of Sikkim |
List of constituencies of Sikkim Vidhan Sabha |
Gangtok Gangtok is the capital and largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. Gangtok is located in the Shivalik Hills of the eastern Himalayan range, at an altitude of . The town, with a population of thirty thousand belonging to different ethnicities such as Nepalis, Lepchas and Bhutia, is administered...
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| Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu |
List of constituencies of Tamil Nadu Vidhan Sabha |
ChennaiChennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
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| Legislative Assembly of Tripura |
List of constituencies of Tripura Vidhan Sabha |
Agartala |
| Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh |
List of constituencies of Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha |
LucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
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| Legislative Assembly of Uttarakhand |
List of constituencies of Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha |
Dehradun- Geography :The Dehradun district has various types of physical geography from Himalayan mountains to Plains. Raiwala is the lowest point at 315 meters above sea level, and the highest points are within the Tiuni hills, rising to 3700 m above sea level...
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| Legislative Assembly of West Bengal |
List of constituencies of West Bengal Vidhan Sabha |
KolkataKolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
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External links