The State Legislatures - Questions & Answers

I. Multiple-Choice Questions

Choose the correct answers to the questions from the given options.

1. Which of the following can pass a resolution to create or abolish a Legislative Council in a State?
(a) Legislative Assembly of a State
(b) Both Houses of Parliament
(c) The Governor of a State
(d) The Legislative Council of a State
Answer: (a) Legislative Assembly of a State

2. Which of the following States does not have Bicameral Legislature?
(a) Andhra Pradesh
(b) Bihar
(c) Karnataka
(d) Punjab
Answer: (d) Punjab

3. The State Legislature comprises which of the following?
(P) : The Governor
(Q) : The Legislative Assembly
(R) : The Legislative Council
(S) : The Two Houses of State Legislature
(a) P and Q
(b) P and R
(c) P and S
(d) Q and R
Answer: (a) P and Q

4. How are the members of Legislative Assembly elected?
(a) Directly elected by the people of the State on the basis of universal adult franchise
(b) Directly elected by all the members of Parliament.
(c) Indirectly elected by proportional representation
(d) Indirectly elected by the people of the State through their representatives.
Answer: (a) Directly elected by the people of the State on the basis of universal adult franchise

5. The Legislative Assembly of each State consists of not more than 500 and not less than 60 members except for Special Provision States.
(a) 400, 250
(b) 500, 60
(c) 550, 250
(d) 500, 30

6. Complete the following analogy:
Vidhan Sabha: Legislative Assembly :: Vidhan Parishad: Legislative Council.
(a) Council of People
(b) Council of Eldermen
(c) Legislative Assembly
(d) None of the above

7. During the President's rule the Legislative Assembly may either be dissolved or suspended.
(a) abolished
(b) dissolved
(c) created
(d) renewed

8. During the Proclamation of Emergency in a State, the life of the House can be extended for one year at a time.
(a) one year
(b) six months
(c) three months
(d) a month

9. The State Legislature can make laws on matters in which of the following lists?
(P) : State List
(Q) : Concurrent List
(R) : Residual List
(S) : Union List
(a) P and R
(b) P and S
(c) P and Q
(d) Q and R
Answer: (c) P and Q

10. The strength of Legislative Assembly is 200. What would be the Quorum of the Assembly?
(a) 10
(b) 8
(c) 12
(d) 20
Answer: (d) 20

11. What happens to the Bills in the case of Bicameral Legislature?
(P) : The will of the Vidhan Sabha prevails.
(Q) : The Bill is passed at the joint sitting of the two Houses.
(R) : The Vidhan Parishad can stop the passage of a Bill.
(S) : The Vidhan Parishad can only delay the passage of a Bill.
(a) Q and R
(b) R and S
(c) P and S
(d) P and R
Answer: (c) P and S

12. The Amendment of the Article that seeks change in the representation of States in Parliament requires ratification or approval by how many States?
(a) One-fourth of the Legislative Assemblies of the States
(b) One half of the Legislative Assemblies of the States
(c) Two-third of the Legislative Assemblies of the States
(d) None of the above.
Answer: (b) One half of the Legislative Assemblies of the States

13. Given below are details of a few citizens of a State.

Person	Age (in years)	Description
A	32	Does not have his/her name on the voters' list in the State concerned.
B	27	Has taken up the citizenship of France.
C	30	Holds an office of profit under the Government of India.
D	25	Is not an undischarged insolvent.

Select the person who fulfils the eligibility criteria to become a member of the Legislative Assembly.
(a) A
(b) B
(c) C
(d) D
Answer: (d) D

14. The numerical strength in the Legislative Council shall not exceed one-third of the total number of members in the Legislative Assembly of the State.
(a) one-fourth
(b) one-third
(c) two-thirds
(d) one-fifth

15. How many members in the Legislative Council are nominated by the Governor of the State?
(a) One-third
(b) One-fourth
(c) One-fifth
(d) One-sixth
Answer: (d) One-sixth

16. The minimum age to be a Member of the Legislative Council is 30 years.
(a) 18
(b) 20
(c) 25
(d) 30

17. What is the tenure of the elected members of the Legislative Council?
(a) Six years
(b) Five years
(c) Four years
(d) Two years
Answer: (a) Six years

18. Your uncle is associated with a farmer cooperative movement. He has not won any election to the Legislative Council. But he has become a member of the Legislative Council. How has he achieved this position?
(a) He is appointed by the Chief Minister
(b) He is nominated by the President of India
(c) He is nominated by the Governor of the State
(d) None of the above.
Answer: (c) He is nominated by the Governor of the State

19. (A) The members of State Legislative Council are directly elected by the people of the States.
(R) Of the total number of members of the Legislative Council, one-sixth are nominated by the Governor of the State.
(a) (A) is true but (R) is false.
(b) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
(c) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(d) Both (A) and (R) are false.
Answer: (b) (A) is false, but (R) is true.

20. (A) The Legislative Council can only delay the passage of a Bill.
(R) By posing a delay, the Legislative Council checks the hasty legislation by highlighting its defects.
(a) (A) is true but (R) is false.
(b) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
(c) Both (A) and (R) are true, (R) is the explanation of (A).
(d) Both (A) and (R) are false.
Answer: (c) Both (A) and (R) are true, (R) is the explanation of (A).

21. In 2020, the Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh passed a resolution to abolish the Legislative Council but the Council could not be abolished. Why?
(a) The Governor of Andhra Pradesh did not give his consent.
(b) The Supreme Court of India stayed the resolution permanently.
(c) The Parliament of India did not enact the required law.
(d) The Election Commission of India rejected the proposal.
Answer: (c) The Parliament of India did not enact the required law.

22. (A) In case of a breakdown of the Constitutional machinery, the State may be placed under President's rule.
(R) The Governor of a State can recommend to the President to declare Constitutional Emergency in a State if he/she feels there is a breakdown of Constitutional machinery in the State.
(a) (A) is true but (R) is false.
(b) (A) is false, but (R) is true.
(c) Both (A) and (R) are true, (R) is the explanation of (A).
(d) Both (A) and (R) are false.
Answer: (c) Both (A) and (R) are true, (R) is the explanation of (A).

II. Short Answer Questions

1. What is a Unicameral Legislature? What is a Bicameral Legislature?
Answer: A State is said to have a unicameral legislature if it has only one house, i.e., the Legislative Assembly. In a bicameral legislature, the State has two houses, i.e., the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council.

2. Name any two States in India that have a Bicameral Legislature.
Answer: Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. (Other examples: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh).

3. Name any two States in India that have a Unicameral Legislature.
Answer: Goa and Punjab.

4. What is the Constitutional provision regarding abolition or creation of Legislative Councils in States?
Answer: The Legislative Assembly of a State can pass a resolution (by a majority of total membership and not less than two-thirds of members present and voting) to abolish or create a Legislative Council. This resolution must then be followed by an Act of Parliament.

5. What is the minimum age fixed for the membership of:
(a) The Legislative Assembly
(b) The Legislative Council?
Answer: (a) 25 years (b) 30 years.

6. Who is the chief presiding officer of:
(a) The Legislative Assembly
(b) The Legislative Council?
Answer: (a) The Speaker (b) The Chairman.

7. How many member/members can the Governor nominate to the Legislative Council? What qualifications do these members have?
Answer: The Governor nominates one-sixth of the total members of the Legislative Council. These members must be persons having special knowledge or practical experience in the fields of Literature, Science, Art, cooperative movement, and social service.

8. Mention two qualifications of a person seeking election to the:
(a) Legislative Assembly,
(b) Legislative Council.
Answer:
(a) Legislative Assembly: Must be a citizen of India and not less than 25 years of age.
(b) Legislative Council: Must be a citizen of India and not less than 30 years of age.

9. What status is accorded to the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly?
Answer: The leader of the largest opposition party is given the position of the Leader of the Opposition and is accorded the same status and facilities as enjoyed by a Minister of Cabinet rank.

10. How are the members of the State Legislative Council elected?
Answer: 1/3 are elected by local bodies, 1/3 by members of the Legislative Assembly, 1/12 by teachers, 1/12 by university graduates, and the remaining 1/6 are nominated by the Governor.

11. How is the Vidhan Parishad of a State constituted?
Answer: The numerical strength of the Vidhan Parishad cannot exceed one-third of the total members in the Assembly, and cannot be less than 40. Its members are partly elected by electorates of local bodies (1/3), MLAs (1/3), teachers (1/12), graduates (1/12), and partly nominated by the Governor (1/6).

12. Why is the Vidhan Parishad known as a Permanent House?
Answer: The Vidhan Parishad is not subject to dissolution. Its members hold office for six years, and one-third of its members retire every second year, ensuring the House is permanently in existence.

13. Name any two Union Territories that have a Legislative Assembly.
Answer: National Capital Territory of Delhi and Puducherry.

14. How are the members of the State Legislative Assembly elected?
Answer: They are chosen by direct election on the basis of universal adult suffrage from territorial constituencies using the system of secret ballot.

15. What is the duration of a State Legislative Assembly?
Answer: The normal term of the Legislative Assembly is five years. However, it can be dissolved earlier by the Governor or extended during a Proclamation of Emergency.

16. In which two ways is the Vidhan Sabha more powerful than the Vidhan Parishad?
Answer: 1. A Money Bill can only be introduced in the Vidhan Sabha. 2. The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible only to the Vidhan Sabha, granting it direct control over the State Executive.

17. Who is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly? Who elects him/her to this office?
Answer: The Speaker is the presiding officer of the Legislative Assembly. He/she is elected by the members of the Legislative Assembly from among themselves.

18. Mention the financial powers of the State Legislature.
Answer: The State Legislature passes the State Budget containing estimates of receipts and expenditures, and grants permission for taxes. No tax can be imposed or money expended by the State Government without its approval.

19. Mention two ways in which the Union Legislature is superior to the State Legislature in matters of legislation.
Answer: 1. The Union Parliament alone has the power to make laws on matters enumerated in the Union List. 2. In case of a conflict between a law made by the State Legislature and a law made by Parliament on a subject in the Concurrent List, the central law passed by Parliament prevails.

20. What happens in the case of a conflict between the Central law and a State law with regard to a subject enumerated in the Concurrent List?
Answer: The law passed by the Union Parliament prevails over the law passed by the State Legislature.

21. State two ways by which the State Council of Ministers are controlled by the State Legislature.
Answer: The State Legislature uses devices such as Questions, No-Confidence Motions, Adjournment Motions, and Cut Motions to control the Council of Ministers.

22. What options does the Legislative Council have when a non-money bill passed by the Legislative Assembly is sent to it?
Answer: The Legislative Council can either pass the bill, propose amendments, or delay the passage of the Bill. It can delay a non-money bill for a maximum of three months in the first instance, and one more month if passed again by the Assembly.

23. What happens if there is a disagreement between the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council with regard to an ordinary bill?
Answer: There is no provision for a joint sitting of both Houses to resolve a deadlock. The Council can only delay a bill for a maximum of four months, after which it is deemed to have been passed. Thus, the will of the Legislative Assembly ultimately prevails.

24. What happens if an ordinary bill duly passed by the Legislative Council is rejected by the Legislative Assembly?
Answer: The bill is deemed to be rejected and falls through entirely, as the will of the Legislative Assembly prevails.

25. State any two differences between unicameral and bicameral legislatures.
Answer:
1. A unicameral legislature has only one house (Legislative Assembly), whereas a bicameral legislature has two houses (Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council).
2. In a unicameral legislature, the only house can be dissolved. In a bicameral legislature, the second house (Legislative Council) is a permanent body and not subject to dissolution.

26. A bicameral legislature has a wider membership than a unicameral legislature. How?
Answer: In a bicameral legislature, membership includes not only the directly elected members of the Legislative Assembly but also members of the Legislative Council who are elected by diverse electorates like local bodies, graduates, and teachers, alongside domain experts nominated by the Governor, thereby giving it a wider membership base.

27. What purpose does the Upper House' delay of a bill serve?
Answer: By posing a delay, the Upper House (Legislative Council) serves to check hasty and ill-considered legislation by highlighting its shortcomings or defects.

III. Structured Questions

1. Describe the relationship between the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council under these heads:
(a) Finance.
(b) Control over non-money bills.
(c) Control over the Executive.
Answer:
(a) Finance: A Money Bill can be introduced only in the Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Council has limited powers and can only delay it for 14 days, after which it is deemed passed regardless of the Council's consent.
(b) Control over non-money bills: Both houses can initiate ordinary bills, but the Assembly is more powerful. If a bill originates in the Assembly, the Council can delay it for a maximum of four months in total but cannot prevent its passage. The will of the Assembly prevails.
(c) Control over the Executive: The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible only to the Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Council exercises only formal control over the executive by means of questions and debates but cannot remove the government.

2. Study the picture given on the next page and answer the following questions:
(a) How is the Legislative Assembly composed?
(b) What are the qualifications for being a member of the Legislative Assembly?
(c) What is the term of the House? Under what conditions the term of the Assembly extended or reduced?
Answer:
(a) The Legislative Assembly is composed of not more than 500 and not less than 60 members chosen through direct election by Universal Adult Franchise from territorial constituencies.
(b) A person must be a citizen of India, not less than 25 years of age, have their name on the voters' list in the State, not hold any office of profit, and not be an undischarged insolvent or of unsound mind.
(c) The normal term of the House is five years. Its term can be reduced if it is dissolved earlier by the Governor on the Chief Minister's advice or placed under President's rule. The term can be extended by Parliament during a Proclamation of Emergency for not more than a year at a time.

3. Like the Rajya Sabha at the Centre, the Legislative Council in the State is merely an advisory chamber. In this context answer the following questions:
(a) How is Legislative Council constituted?
(b) What are the qualifications for its membership?
(c) What powers does the Legislative Council have with regard to a Money Bill and a non-money bill?
Answer:
(a) The strength of the Legislative Council cannot exceed one-third of the total members in the Assembly and cannot be less than 40. Its members are elected by local bodies (1/3), MLAs (1/3), teachers (1/12), graduates (1/12), and the rest (1/6) are nominated by the Governor.
(b) The qualifications are the same as those for membership of the Legislative Assembly, except that the minimum age requirement for the Legislative Council is 30 years.
(c) With regard to a Money Bill, it has limited powers and can only delay it for 14 days. For a non-money (ordinary) bill passed by the Assembly, it can delay its passage for a total maximum period of four months (three months in the first instance, and one month in the second journey) but cannot veto it.

IV. Thinking Skills

1. Recently elections to the Legislative Assembly of your State were held. Find out the number of seats for which elections were held. What were the issues which were debated during the election campaign? Were these issues local or national? Which issue you wanted to be addressed at the earliest?
Answer: (Model answer for students) In my state, elections were recently held for 288 seats. The core issues debated during the campaign included agricultural subsidies, regional infrastructure development, rural water supply, and youth employment. These issues were predominantly local and state-centric in nature. I wanted the issue of youth employment opportunities to be addressed at the earliest.

2. Find out the differences in the powers and functions of an MLA and an MP. If given a chance, which of the two positions would you like to take? Why?
Answer: (Model answer for students) An MLA (Member of Legislative Assembly) participates in legislating matters contained in the State List and Concurrent List, and focuses on state-level development and holding the State Executive accountable. An MP (Member of Parliament) creates laws regarding matters in the Union List and Concurrent List, making decisions that affect the entire nation, such as foreign policy, defense, and national infrastructure. If given a chance, I would choose to be an MP because it offers a broader platform to contribute to the nation's overall growth, security, and large-scale policy-making.