Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)

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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.

Contents

Member of the Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly
AbbreviationMLA
Member of
Reports toSpeaker and Deputy Speaker of the Respective Legislative Assemblies of India
NominatorElected By Voting
Term length 5 Years
Inaugural holder 1952 State Legislative Assembly
Formation1952(72 years ago) (1952)

Introduction

In states where there are two houses, there is a State Legislative Council, and a State Legislative Assembly. In such a case, the Legislative Council is the upper house, while the Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the state legislature.

The Governor shall not be a member of the Legislature or Parliament, shall not hold any office of profit, and shall be entitled to emoluments and allowances. (Article 158 of the Indian constitution).

The Legislative Assembly consists of not more than 500 members and not fewer than 60. The biggest state, Uttar Pradesh, has 403 members in its Assembly. States which have small populations and are small in size have a provision for having an even smaller number of members in the Legislative Assembly. Puducherry has 33 members out of which 3 are nominated by central government. [1] Mizoram and Goa have only 40 members each. Sikkim has 32. All members of the Legislative Assembly are elected based on adult franchise, and one member is elected from one constituency. Until January 2020, the President had the power to nominate two Anglo Indians to the Lok Sabha and the Governor had the power to nominate one member [2] from the Anglo Indian community deems fit if the governor thinks that they are not adequately represented in the Assembly. In January 2020, the Anglo-Indian reserved seats in the Parliament and State legislatures of India were abolished by the 104th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019. [3] [4]

Nominated MLAs in states and UTs

Up to three MLAs can be nominated in the union territory of Puducherry by the central government who enjoy equal powers as elected MLAs. [1] Interestingly, as clarified by the Supreme court of India, these MLAs hold the same voting powers as the elected MLAs. [5]

Between 1957 and 2019, before the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A of the Constitution of India, the former 89-member Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly had 2 seats reserved for the nominated women members. But after the passing of Women's Reservation Bill, 2023 it became 33%. Additionally, the Lieutenant Governor may nominate two representatives of Kashmiri migrant families to the assembly, one of which is reserved for woman. [6]

Qualification

The qualifications to become a member of the Legislative Assembly are largely similar to the qualifications to be a member of Parliament.

  1. The person should be a citizen of India.
  2. Not less than 25 years of age [7] to be a member of the Legislative Assembly and not less than 30 years (as per Article 173 of Indian Constitution) to be a member of the Legislative Council.
  3. No person can become a member of the Legislative Assembly or the Legislative Council of any state unless the individual is a voter from any constituency of the state. Those who cannot become members of Parliament also cannot become members of the state legislature.
  4. The person should not be convicted of any offence and sentenced to imprisonment of 2 years or more.
  5. Person must be sound of mind.

Term

The term of the Legislative Assembly is five years. However, it may be dissolved earlier than that by the Governor at the request of the Chief Minister, when the Chief Minister has actual majority support in the Assembly. The Assembly may be dissolved earlier if no one can prove majority support and become Chief Minister. The term of the Legislative Assembly may be extended during an emergency, [8] but not more than six months at a time. The Legislative Council is the upper house of the State. Just like the Rajya Sabha, it is a permanent House. The members of the state's upper house are selected based on the strength of each party in the lower house and by state gubernatorial nomination. The term is six years, and a third of the members of the House retire after every two years. The upper house of a state assembly, unlike the upper house of the Parliament, can be abolished by the lower house, if it passes a specific law bill, which states to dissolve the upper house, and gets it attested in both houses of parliament and then signed by the president into law. Only Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh have their upper houses in existence with a six-year term. All other states have abolished the upper house by the above-mentioned method, as the upper house causes unnecessary problems, expenditures and issues. [9]

Powers

The most important function of the legislature is law-making. The state legislature has the power to make laws on all items on which Parliament cannot legislate. Some of these items are police, prisons, irrigation, agriculture, local governments, public health, pilgrimage, and burial grounds. Some topics on which both Parliament and states can make laws are education, marriage and divorce, forests, and the protection of wild animals and birds.

As regards money bills, the position is the same. Bills can originate only in the Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Council can either pass the bill within 14 days of the date of the receipt of the Bill or suggest changes to it within 14 days. These changes may or may not be accepted by the Assembly.

The state legislature, besides making laws, has one electoral power, in electing the President of India. Elected members of the Legislative Assembly along with the elected members of Parliament are involved in this process.

Some parts of the Constitution can be amended by Parliament with the approval of half of the state legislatures. Thus, the state legislatures take part in the process of amendment to the Constitution.

MLAs by States

Members of Legislative Assembly by their political party (As of 10 December 2024)

State/UTTotalRuling

Party

Independent NOMVacant
BJP NDA INC INDIA Others
Andhra Pradesh 175 TDP 8 TDP (135)None YSRCP (11)
JSP (21)
Arunachal Pradesh 60BJP46 NPP (5)1NoneNone
NCP (3)
PPA(2)
IND(3)
Assam 126BJP64 AGP (8)22 CPI(M) (1) AIUDF(15)2
UPPL (7)
IND(3) RD (1) BPF(3)
Bihar 243 JD(U) 84 JD(U) (48)17 RJD (72) AIMIM (1)
CPI(ML)L(11)
HAM(4) CPI(M) (2)
IND(2) CPI (2)
Chhattisgarh 90BJP54None35None GGP (1)
Delhi 70 AAP 7None0 AAP(58)None5
Goa 40BJP28 MGP (2)3 AAP (2) RGP(1)
IND (3) GFP (1)
Gujarat 182BJP162 IND (2)12 SP (1)None1
AAP (4)
Haryana 90BJP48 IND (3)37None INLD (2)
Himachal Pradesh 68INC28None40NoneNone
Jammu and Kashmir 95 JKNC 28None6 JKNC 41 JKPDP 317
CPI(M) (1)
AAP 1 JKPC 1
IND(6)
Jharkhand 81JMM21 AJSU(1)16 JMM (34) JLKM (1)
JD(U) (1) RJD (4)
LJP(RV) (1) CPI(ML)L (2)
Karnataka 224INC66 JD(S) (18)138 IND(1) SKP (1)
Kerala 140 CPI(M) None JD(S) (2)21 CPI(M) (62) DCK(1)1
CPI (17) NSC (1)
IUML (15) JKC(1)
KC(M) (5) RMPI (1)
NCP-SP (2) Cong(S) (1)
KEC (2) INL (1)
RJD (1) KC(J) (1)
IND(4) KC(B) (1)
Madhya Pradesh 230BJP165None64None BAP(1)
Maharashtra 288BJP132 SS (57)16 SS(UBT) (20) AIMIM(1)1
NCP (41)
JSS (2) NCP-SP (10)
RSPS (1)
RSVA(1) SP (2)
RYSP (1) CPI(M) (1)
IND (1) PWPI (1)
Manipur 60BJP37 NPP (7)5None KPA (2)
NPF (5)
JD(U) (1)
IND(3)
Meghalaya 60 NPEP 2 NPP(32)1 AITC (5) VPP (4)
UDP (12)
HSPDP (2)
IND(2)
Mizoram 40 ZPM 2None1None ZPM (27)
MNF (10)
Nagaland 60 NDPP 12 NDPP (25)NoneNone
NCP (7)
NPP (5)
LJP(RV) (2)
RPI(A) (2)
NPF (2)
IND(5)
Odisha 147BJP79None14 CPI(M) (1) BJD (51)2
Puducherry 33 AINRC 9 AINRC (10)2 DMK (6)None6
Punjab 117 AAP 3None14 AAP (94) SAD (3)2
BSP (1)
Rajasthan 200BJP119 SS (2)66None BAP (4)2
RLD (1)
IND (6)
Sikkim 32 SKM None SKM(32)None
Tamil Nadu 234 DMK 4 PMK(5)18 DMK (133) AIADMK(62)
VCK(4)
IND(4) CPI(M) (2)
CPI (2)
Telangana 119INC8None75 CPI (1) BRS (28)
AIMIM (7)
Tripura 60BJP33 TMP (13)3 CPI(M) (10)None
IPFT (1)
Uttar Pradesh 403BJP257 AD(S) (13)2 SP (107) JSD(L) (2)1
RLD (9)
SBSP (6) BSP (1)
NISHAD (5)
Uttarakhand 70BJP47 IND (2)20None BSP(1)
West Bengal 294AITC66None AITC(225) ISF(1)1
BGPM (1)
Total4131161959964997725517015

MLAs by party affiliation

PartyMLAs
1 Bharatiya Janata Party 1619
2 Indian National Congress 649
3 All India Trinamool Congress 230
4 Aam Aadmi Party 159
5 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 139
6 Telugu Desam Party 135
7 Samajwadi Party 110
8 Communist Party of India (Marxist) 80
9 Rashtriya Janata Dal 77
10 Independent 67
11 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 62
12 Shiv Sena 59
13 Biju Janata Dal 51
Nationalist Congress Party 51
15 Janata Dal (United) 50
16 National People's Party 48
17 Jammu and Kashmir National Conference 41
18 Sikkim Krantikari Morcha 32
19 Bharat Rashtra Samithi 28
20 Zoram People's Movement 27
21 Jharkhand Mukti Morcha 25
Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party 25
23 Communist Party of India 22
24 Jana Sena Party 21
25 Janata Dal (Secular) 20
26 Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) 20
27 All India United Democratic Front 15
Indian Union Muslim League 15
29 Apna Dal (Sonelal) 13
Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation 13
Tipra Motha Party 13
31 Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) 12
United Democratic Party 12
34 YSR Congress Party 11
35 All India N.R. Congress 10
Mizo National Front 10
Rashtriya Lok Dal 10
38 All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen 9
39 Asom Gana Parishad 7
Naga People's Front 7
United People's Party Liberal 7
42 Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party 6
43 Bharat Adivasi Party 5
Kerala Congress (M) 5
NISHAD Party 5
Pattali Makkal Katchi 5
47 Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi 4
Voice of the People Party 4
49 Bahujan Samaj Party 3
Bodoland People's Front 3
Hindustani Awam Morcha 3
Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party 3
Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) 3
Shiromani Akali Dal 3
55 Hill State People's Democratic Party 2
Indian National Lok Dal 2
Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) 2
Kerala Congress 2
Kuki People's Alliance 2
Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party 2
People's Party of Arunachal 2
Prahar Janshakti Party 2
Republican Party of India (Athawale) 2
64 All Jharkhand Students Union 1
Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha 1
Congress (Secular) 1
Democratic Congress Kerala 1
Goa Forward Party 1
Gondwana Ganatantra Party 1
Indian National League 1
Indian Secular Front 1
Indigenous People's Front of Tripura 1
Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference 1
Janadhipathya Kerala Congress 1
Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha 1
Kerala Congress (B) 1
Kerala Congress (Jacob) 1
National Secular Conference 1
Peasants and Workers Party of India 1
Raijor Dal 1
Rajendra Patil1
Ravi Gangadhar Rana1
Rashtriya Samaj Paksha 1
Revolutionary Goans Party 1
Revolutionary Marxist Party of India 1
Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha 1
Vacant15
Total4131

See also

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References

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