In this guide
When a bill is debated in Lucknow, it is debated by representatives of nearly one in six Indians. The Uttar Pradesh Legislature is the largest state legislature in the country, and one of only a handful that still has two houses. For UPPSC, it is a favourite source of factual Prelims questions and of analytical Mains questions on legislative performance.
A bicameral legislature
Article 168 provides for a state legislature consisting of the Governor and one or two houses. UP is bicameral, with:
| House | Strength | Nature |
|---|---|---|
| Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) | 403 elected members | Directly elected; term of five years unless dissolved |
| Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council) | 100 members | Permanent house; one-third retire every two years; members serve six years |
The states that have Legislative Councils today are few — Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Under Article 169, Parliament can create or abolish a Council if the state Assembly passes a resolution by a special majority.
The Vidhan Sabha
- 403 members elected from single-member constituencies.
- Seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in proportion to their population. After the delimitation that took effect in 2008, UP has 84 seats reserved for SCs and 2 for STs.
- Until 2020, one Anglo-Indian member could be nominated by the Governor. The 104th Constitutional Amendment (2020) ended this nomination in Parliament and in state assemblies, while extending SC/ST reservation.
- The House elects a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker (Article 178).
The Vidhan Parishad
Article 171 fixes the composition of Legislative Councils in fractions. For UP's 100 members, the pattern is broadly:
| Category | Share under Article 171 | Elected by |
|---|---|---|
| Local authorities | About one-third | Members of municipalities, district boards and other local bodies |
| Graduates | About one-twelfth | Graduates of three years' standing resident in the state |
| Teachers | About one-twelfth | Teachers in secondary schools and above of three years' standing |
| Members of the Assembly | About one-third | MLAs |
| Nominated | The rest | Nominated by the Governor for literature, science, art, cooperative movement and social service |
In UP this works out to roughly 38 members elected by MLAs, 36 by local authorities, 8 by graduates, 8 by teachers and 10 nominated by the Governor.
The Council is presided over by a Chairman elected from among its members.
How a bill becomes law
- Introduction in either house (a money bill only in the Vidhan Sabha, on the Governor's recommendation).
- Three readings and, often, reference to a committee.
- Passage by one house and transmission to the other.
- The Council's limited power: for an ordinary bill, the Council can delay it — for up to three months the first time and one month the second time — but the Assembly's will ultimately prevails (Article 197). For a money bill, the Council can only make recommendations within 14 days (Article 198).
- Governor's assent (Article 200) — the Governor may assent, withhold assent, return the bill (other than a money bill) for reconsideration, or reserve it for the President.
Sessions and procedure
- The legislature must meet at least once every six months (Article 174).
- UP typically holds a budget session early in the year, and monsoon and winter sessions.
- Question Hour, Zero Hour, calling attention notices, adjournment motions and no-confidence motions work much as in Parliament.
- In 2019, the UP Assembly held a special marathon session on the Sustainable Development Goals; the Assembly has since moved towards paperless proceedings under the National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA).
Committees
| Committee | Function |
|---|---|
| Public Accounts Committee | Examines the CAG's reports on state accounts |
| Estimates Committee | Examines budget estimates and suggests economies |
| Committee on Public Undertakings | Oversees state PSUs |
| Privileges Committee | Breaches of privilege |
| Subject committees | Department-related scrutiny |
Debates for Mains
For Legislative Councils: revising chamber, space for experts, teachers and graduates, and a check on hasty legislation.
Against: costly, can be used to accommodate defeated politicians, delays without real power, and elected indirectly.
On legislative performance generally: fewer sitting days, bills passed with limited debate, ordinances used frequently, and weak committee scrutiny are concerns raised about state legislatures across India, including UP.
Practice
Prelims-style:
- How many members do the UP Vidhan Sabha and Vidhan Parishad have?
- Which amendment ended the nomination of an Anglo-Indian member?
- Within how many days must the Council return a money bill?
- Under which Article is a Council created or abolished?
- Who presides over the Vidhan Parishad?
Mains-style:
- "Legislative Councils add cost more than value." Critically examine with reference to Uttar Pradesh.
- Suggest measures to strengthen scrutiny of legislation in state legislatures.
A note on dates and numbers. Exam patterns, vacancies and schedules change from year to year. Always confirm the current details in the latest notification on the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission website .
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