Member of the Legislative Assembly

Member of the Legislative Assembly
Member of the Legislative Assembly
Abbreviation	MLA
Member of	Legislative Assembly
Term length	5 Years (India);

Last updated March 06, 2024

A member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected to sit in a legislative assembly. Most often, the term refers the legislature of a federated state or autonomous region, but is also the name of several national legislatures.

Australia

Members of the Legislative Assembly use the suffix MP instead of MLA in the states of New South Wales ^[1] and Queensland.^[2]

Members of the Legislative Assemblies of Western Australia, Northern Territory, Australian Capital Territory, and Norfolk Island are known as MLAs. However, the suffix MP is also commonly used.

South Australia has a House of Assembly, as does Tasmania, and both describe their members as MHAs.

In Victoria, members may use either MP or MLA.^[3]

In the federal parliament, members of the House of Representatives are designated MP and not MHR.^[4]

Brazil

In Brazil, members of all 26 legislative assemblies (Portuguese : assembléias legislativas) are called deputados estaduais (English: state deputies). Unlike the federal legislative body which is bicameral, Brazilian state legislatures are unicameral.

The Federal District legislative assembly is called the Legislative Chamber (Portuguese : Câmara Legislativa) and is composed of deputados distritais (English: district deputies). Members of the Lower House are also called deputies, but they are deputados federais (English: federal deputies).

Canada

In Canada, members of the federal House of Commons of Canada are described as members of Parliament (MPs) and members of the Senate as senators, although both the House and Senate are part of the Parliament of Canada. Both senators and MPs are in the supercategory of parliamentarians. Members of subnational legislative assemblies, who are members of the elected provincial and territorial legislatures, are called MLAs in all provinces and territories except:

Ontario, where they have been called members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) since 1938 (before then both MPP and MLA were used)
Quebec, where in English they have been called members of the National Assembly (MNAs) since 1968
Newfoundland and Labrador, where they are called members of the House of Assembly (MHAs).
Members of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick are known thereby.
Despite also styling its legislature as the House of Assembly, Nova Scotia describes members thereof as MLAs.

Falkland Islands

Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands use the suffix MLA. In 2009 the Legislative Council of the Falkland Islands (which had existed since the 1840s) was replaced with the new Legislative Assembly. As a result, Members of the Legislative Assembly are often still referred to as Councillors.

Hong Kong

Members of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong are referred to as Legco Councillors.

India

Of the 28 states and eight Union Territories of India, all 28 states and three Union Territories (Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir) have legislative assemblies.

A person, if qualified, may be elected as an MLA based on universal adult suffrage by an electorate consisting of all citizens above the age of 18 of that state or UT. In some states, the Governor may appoint one member to represent minorities, e.g. the Anglo-Indian community, if the Governor finds that minority is inadequately represented in the Legislative Assembly. Those elected or appointed to a Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) are referred to as Members of the Legislative Assembly or MLAs.

Each legislative constituency of the State or UT is represented by only one MLA. As outlined in the Constitution of India, the number of legislative seats in a legislature cannot be more than 500 members and fewer than 60 members. However, with an Act of Parliament, the seats can be fewer than 60, as such is the case in the states of Goa, Sikkim, Mizoram and the UT of Puducherry.

Depending on the population and other factors, each State or UT has varying numbers of MLAs, the highest being in the state of Uttar Pradesh (403) and the least in the UT of Puducherry (30).

Owing to parliamentary democracy, wherein some members of the legislature also act as the executive. Some MLAs may have triple responsibilities: as an MLA, as a cabinet minister of a department and/or as a chief minister of that state.

Malaysia

A state legislative assembly comprises elected representatives from single-member constituencies during state elections through the first-past-the-post system. The majority party in each assembly forms the state government, and the leader of the majority party becomes chief minister of the state. The state legislative assemblies are unicameral, unlike the bicameral Parliament of Malaysia. The hereditary rulers or governors are vested with powers to dissolve their respective state legislative assemblies on the advice of the chief minister. Once dissolved, elections must be carried out within an interim period of sixty (60) days. Usually, state elections are held simultaneously with the federal parliamentary elections, with the exception of Sarawak, and before 2004, Sabah.

Northern Ireland

Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland are known as MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly).

The Assembly was suspended on October 14, 2002 but the persons elected to it at the 2003 Assembly Election were called together on 15 May 2006 under the Northern Ireland Act 2006^[5] for the purpose of electing a First Minister and deputy First Minister and choosing the members of an Executive (before 25 November 2006) as a preliminary to the restoration of devolved government in Northern Ireland. Another election was held on 7 March 2007 and powers were restored to the Assembly in May 2007.

South Korea

A member of any of the provincial legislative assemblies may be referred to as an MLA in English.

United States

In the United States of America, state legislator is a generic term referring to a member of the legislative body of any of the country's 50 states.

The formal name of the legislature varies from state to state. In 24 states, it is simply called the Legislature or the State Legislature, while in 19 states, the legislature is called the General Assembly. In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the legislature is called the General Court, while North Dakota and Oregon designate the legislature as the Legislative Assembly.

The Associated Press guidelines for journalists recommend referring to state legislators as state representatives or state senators to avoid confusion with their federal counterparts.

Wales

Members of the Senedd, the devolved Parliament for Wales, are usually known as MSs or Aelodau o'r Senedd (ASau).^[6]

Related Research Articles

A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate, so-called as an assembly of the senior and therefore considered wiser and more experienced members of the society or ruling class. However the Roman Senate was not the ancestor or predecessor of modern parliamentarism in any sense, because the Roman senate was not a de jure legislative body.

The legislatures of the United Kingdom are derived from a number of different sources. The parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body for the United Kingdom and the British overseas territories with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each having their own devolved legislatures. Each of the three major jurisdictions of the United Kingdom has its own laws and legal system.

A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members often have a different title. The terms congressman/congresswoman or deputy are equivalent terms used in other jurisdictions. The term parliamentarian is also sometimes used for members of parliament, but this may also be used to refer to unelected government officials with specific roles in a parliament and other expert advisers on parliamentary procedure such as the Senate parliamentarian in the United States. The term is also used to the characteristic of performing the duties of a member of a legislature, for example: "The two party leaders often disagreed on issues, but both were excellent parliamentarians and cooperated to get many good things done."

Unicameralism is a type of legislature consisting of one house or assembly that legislates and votes as one. Unicameralism has become an increasingly common type of legislature, making up nearly 60% of all national legislatures and an even greater share of subnational legislatures.

The Senedd, officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and Senedd Cymru in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees to certain taxes, and scrutinises the Welsh Government. It is a bilingual institution, with both Welsh and English being the official languages of its business. From its creation in May 1999 until May 2020, the Senedd was officially known as the National Assembly for Wales and often simply called the Welsh Assembly.

The Northern Ireland Assembly, often referred to by the metonym Stormont, is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive. It sits at Parliament Buildings at Stormont in Belfast.

The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England.

The Legislative Assembly for the Australian Capital Territory is the unicameral legislature of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). It sits in the Legislative Assembly Building on Civic Square, close to the centre of the city of Canberra.

The State Legislative Assembly, or Vidhan Sabha, also called Saasana Sabha, is a legislative body in each of the states and certain union territories of India. In 22 states and 3 union territories, there is a unicameral legislature which is the sole legislative body. In 6 states, the legislative assembly is the lower house of their bicameral legislature with the upper house being the State Legislative Council. 5 union territories are governed directly by the Union Government of India and have no legislative body.

A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative elected by the voters of an electoral district (constituency) to the legislature of State government in the Indian system of government. From each constituency, the people elect one representative who then becomes a member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). Each state has between seven and nine MLAs for every Member of Parliament (MP) that it has in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's bicameral parliament. There are also members in three unicameral legislatures in Union Territories: the Delhi Legislative Assembly, Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and the Puducherry Legislative Assembly. Only a Member of the Legislative Assembly can work as a minister for more than 6 months. If a non-Member of the Legislative Assembly becomes a Chief Minister or a minister, he must become an MLA within 6 months to continue in the job. Only a Member of the Legislative Assembly can become the Speaker of the Legislature

Paul Anthony Edward Everingham is a former Australian politician who was the head of government of the Northern Territory of Australia from 1977 to 1984, serving as the second and last Majority Leader (1977–1978) and the first Chief Minister of the Northern Territory from 1978 to 1984. He represented the northern Darwin seat of Jingili in the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly from 1974 to 1984. He was then elected to the federal House of Representatives, representing the Northern Territory between 1984 and 1987.

A dual mandate is the practice in which elected officials serve in more than one elected or other public position simultaneously. This practice is sometimes known as double jobbing in Britain and cumul des mandats in France; not to be confused with double dipping in the United States. Thus, if someone who is already mayor of a town or city councillor becomes elected as MP or senator at the national or state legislature and retains both positions, this is a dual mandate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puducherry Legislative Assembly</span> Unicameral legislature of the Indian union territory of Puducherry

The Puducherry Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Indian union territory (UT) of Puducherry, which comprises four districts: Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahé and Yanam. Out of eight union territories of India, only three have legislatures and they are Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir. After delimitation shortly after its formation, the Puducherry legislative assembly has 33 seats, of which 5 are reserved for candidates from scheduled castes and 3 members are nominated by the Government of India. 30 out of 33 Members are elected directly by the people on the basis of universal adult franchise and the remaining three are nominated by the central government. These nominated members enjoy same powers as elected members of the assembly.

First Minister's Questions are question time sessions held respectively in the Northern Ireland Assembly, the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd. First Minister's Questions is an opportunity for members of each legislature to question the respective leaders of the devolved nations of the United Kingdom. These sessions are based on the similar Prime Minister's Questions held in the House of Commons. It is usually the most attended event in each legislature by representatives.

Members of the Legislative Assembly are representatives elected by the voters to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

The Parliament of the Northern Territory is the unicameral legislature of the Northern Territory of Australia. It consists of the Northern Territory Legislative Assembly and the Administrator of the Northern Territory, who represents the Governor-General. It is one of three unicameral parliaments in Australia, along with those of Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. The Legislative Assembly replaced the previous Legislative Council in 1974. It sits in Parliament House, Darwin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union territory</span> Form of administrative division in India

A union territory is a type of administrative division in the Republic of India. Unlike the states of India, which have their own governments, union territories are federal territories governed, in part or in whole, by the Union Government of India. There are currently eight union territories in India, namely, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.

The President of India is indirectly elected with Instant-runoff voting by means of an electoral college consisting of the elected members of the Parliament of India and the Legislative assemblies of the States of India and the Union territories. The number and value of votes are based on the population in 1971 rather than the current population, as a result of the 42nd Amendment, and extended by the 84th Amendment, with the intention to encourage family planning programs in the states by ensuring that states are not penalised for lowering their population growth and development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Puducherry</span> Democratically elected body of Puducherry

Government of Puducherry is the union territorial government for the union territory of Puducherry, India. It is headed by the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. Its capital is located at Pondicherry.

Puducherry has a parliamentary system as defined by its constitution, with power distributed between the union territory government and the districts.

References

↑ "The Role of Members of Parliament". parliament.nsw.gov.au. 2 February 2008. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
↑ Resolution of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Qld branch), 19 October 2000. Source: Queensland Parliamentary Library, 15 November 2005.
↑ "Members' titles". parliament.vic.gov.au. 25 October 2010. Archived from the original on 6 April 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
↑ "House of Representatives Practice". aph.gov.au. 30 September 2005. Archived from the original on 6 April 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
↑ "Northern Ireland Act 2006 (c. 17)". Legislation.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2008-09-08. Retrieved 2006-05-19.
↑ Torrance, David (2020-05-06). "Senedd Cymru: Why has the National Assembly for Wales changed its name?". Archived from the original on 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2020-05-14.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] "The Role of Members of Parliament". parliament.nsw.gov.au. 2 February 2008. Archived from the original on 24 April 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2011.

[2] Resolution of Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (Qld branch), 19 October 2000. Source: Queensland Parliamentary Library, 15 November 2005.

[3] "Members' titles". parliament.vic.gov.au. 25 October 2010. Archived from the original on 6 April 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2011.

[4] "House of Representatives Practice". aph.gov.au. 30 September 2005. Archived from the original on 6 April 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2011.

[5] "Northern Ireland Act 2006 (c. 17)". Legislation.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2008-09-08. Retrieved 2006-05-19.

[6] Torrance, David (2020-05-06). "Senedd Cymru: Why has the National Assembly for Wales changed its name?". Archived from the original on 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2020-05-14.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]