Chapter 33 State Legislature

1. What is the position of the state legislature in the political system of a state?

2. Which Articles in which Part of the Constitution deal with the state legislature?

3. Is there uniformity in the organization of state legislatures?

4. How many states currently have a bicameral system?

5. Which states currently have a bicameral system?

6. Which Legislative Council was abolished by the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019?

7. Which Legislative Council was revived by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Act, 2005?

8. What does the 7th Amendment Act of 1956 provide for regarding a Legislative Council in Madhya Pradesh?

9. What does the state legislature consist of in unicameral states?

10. What does the state legislature consist of in bicameral states?

11. What are the names of the upper and lower houses in a state legislature?

12. What does Article 169 of the Constitution provide for regarding legislative councils?

13. How can Parliament abolish or create a legislative council in a state?

14. Is an Act of Parliament for the abolition or creation of a legislative council considered an amendment of the Constitution for purposes of Article 368?

15. What was the criticism of having a second chamber in the states in the Constituent Assembly?

16. What is the maximum strength of the legislative assembly?

17. What is the minimum strength of the legislative assembly?

18. What are the exceptions to the minimum strength of 60 for legislative assemblies?

19. How are the representatives of states in the legislative assembly elected?

20. What provision for nominated members in the state legislative assembly was discontinued by the 104th Amendment Act of 2019?

21. What is the maximum strength of the legislative council?

22. What is the minimum strength of the legislative council?

23. What is the purpose of the maximum and minimum limits for the legislative council’s strength?

24. Who fixes the actual strength of a Legislative Council?

25. How are the members of a legislative council elected?

26. How are the indirectly elected members of a legislative council elected?

27. Has Parliament enacted any law to modify or replace the scheme of composition of a legislative council?

28. What is the normal term of the legislative assembly?

29. Who is authorised to dissolve the legislative assembly?

30. How can the term of the assembly be extended during a national emergency?

31. What is the maximum period an extension of the assembly’s term can continue after an emergency ceases to operate?

32. Is the legislative council a continuing chamber?

33. How often do members of the legislative council retire?

34. What is the term of a member of the legislative council?

35. How are vacant seats in the legislative council filled?

36. Are retiring members of the legislative council eligible for re-election?

37. What are the qualifications for a person to be chosen a member of the state legislature?

38. What are the additional qualifications for state legislative membership laid down in the Representation of People Act (1951)?

39. What are the disqualifications for being chosen as a member of the state legislature under the Constitution?

40. What are the additional disqualifications for state legislative membership laid down in the Representation of People Act (1951)?

41. Who decides questions of disqualification of a member of the state legislature?

42. What is the disqualification on ground of defection for a member of the state legislature?

43. Who decides the question of disqualification under the Tenth Schedule for state legislatures?

Speaker regarding disqualification under the Tenth Schedule subject to judicial review?

45. What oath or affirmation does a member of the state legislature make before taking seat?

46. What is the consequence if a member does not take the oath?

she sits or votes as a member without taking the oath, being disqualified, or being prohibited?

48. Who determines the salaries and allowances of members of a state legislature?

her seat?

50. What happens if a person is elected to both Houses of state legislature?

Speaker?

52. What happens if a member is absent from all meetings of a House for sixty days without permission?

53. Who are the presiding officers of the state legislature?

54. Who fixes the salaries and allowances of the presiding officers of the state legislature?

55. How is the Speaker of Assembly elected?

56. What is the tenure of the Speaker of Assembly?

her office earlier?

58. What is the advance notice period required to move a resolution for the Speaker’s removal?

59. What are the powers and duties of the Speaker of Assembly?

60. How is the Deputy Speaker of Assembly elected?

61. What is the tenure of the Deputy Speaker of Assembly?

her office earlier?

63. What is the advance notice period required to move a resolution for the Deputy Speaker’s removal?

64. What are the duties of the Deputy Speaker of Assembly?

65. Who nominates the Panel of Chairmen for the assembly?

66. How is the Chairman of Council elected?

her office?

68. What is the advance notice period required to move a resolution for the Chairman’s removal?

69. What are the powers and functions of the Chairman of Council as a presiding officer?

70. What is the special power of the Speaker that is not enjoyed by the Chairman of Council?

71. How is the Deputy Chairman of Council elected?

her office?

73. What is the advance notice period required to move a resolution for the Deputy Chairman’s removal?

74. What are the duties of the Deputy Chairman of Council?

75. Who nominates the Panel of Vice-Chairmen for the council?

76. Who summons each House of state legislature?

77. What is the maximum gap allowed between two sessions of state legislature?

78. What is Adjournment in the state legislature?

79. What is Adjournment Sine Die in the state legislature?

80. Who holds the power of adjournment and adjournment sine die in the state legislature?

81. What is Prorogation in the state legislature?

82. Can the governor prorogue the House while it is in session?

83. Which House of the state legislature is not subject to dissolution?

84. Which House of the state legislature is subject to dissolution?

85. What happens to all business pending before the assembly when it is dissolved?

86. What happens to a Bill pending in the assembly (whether originating there or transmitted from the council) upon dissolution?

87. What happens to a Bill passed by the assembly but pending in the council upon dissolution?

88. What happens to a Bill pending in the council but not passed by the assembly upon dissolution?

89. What happens to a Bill passed by the assembly (in a unicameral state) or by both houses (in a bicameral state) but pending assent of the governor or the President upon dissolution?

90. What happens to a Bill passed by the assembly (in a unicameral state) or by both Houses (in a bicameral state) but returned by the president for reconsideration upon dissolution?

91. What is Quorum in the state legislature?

92. What is the quorum for a meeting of a House of the state legislature?

93. What is the duty of the presiding officer if there is no quorum during a meeting in the state legislature?

94. How are matters decided at any sitting of either House of the state legislature?

95. What is the role of the presiding officer regarding voting in case of a tie in the state legislature?

96. What are the official languages for transacting business in the state legislature?

her mother-tongue in the state legislature?

98. What is the time limit for the state legislature to decide whether to continue or discontinue English as a floor language?

99. What rights do ministers and the advocate general of the state have in the state legislature?

100. What are the two reasons for the constitutional provision regarding the rights of ministers and advocate general in the state?

101. Where can an ordinary bill originate in the state legislature?

102. Who can introduce an ordinary bill in the state legislature?

103. What are the three stages an ordinary bill passes through in the originating House of the state legislature?

104. When is an ordinary bill deemed to have been passed by the state legislature?

105. What happens if an ordinary bill is passed by the legislative assembly in a unicameral legislature?

106. What are the four alternatives for the legislative council when an ordinary bill passed by the legislative assembly is transmitted to it?

107. What happens if the council passes the bill without amendments or the assembly accepts the council’s amendments?

108. What happens if the assembly rejects the council’s amendments, or the council rejects the bill altogether, or the council does not take any action for three months?

109. What happens if the council rejects the bill again, or passes it with unacceptable amendments, or does not pass it within one month (after the second transmission)?

110. Who has the ultimate power of passing an ordinary bill in the state legislature?

111. What is the maximum period the legislative council can detain or delay an ordinary bill?

112. Does the Constitution provide for a joint sitting of the two Houses of the state legislature to resolve a disagreement over a bill?

113. What happens if a bill originating in the council and sent to the assembly is rejected by the assembly?

114. What are the four alternatives for the governor when a bill is presented for assent?

115. What happens if a bill returned by the governor for reconsideration is passed again by the House or Houses?

116. What type of veto does the governor enjoy regarding ordinary bills?

117. What are the President’s alternatives when a state bill is reserved by the governor for consideration?

118. Is the President bound to give assent to a state bill that is returned for reconsideration and passed again by the state legislature?

119. What is the procedure for passing Money Bills in the state legislature?

120. What are the legislative council’s powers regarding a Money Bill?

121. What happens if the legislative assembly accepts the legislative council’s recommendations on a money bill?

122. What happens if the legislative assembly does not accept the legislative council’s recommendations on a money bill?

123. What happens if the legislative council does not return a money bill to the legislative assembly within 14 days?

124. Which House has more powers regarding a money bill in the state legislature?

125. What is the maximum period the legislative council can detain or delay a money bill?

126. What are the governor’s alternatives when a Money Bill is presented for assent?

127. What happens when a money bill is reserved for consideration of the President?

128. What are the three categories of State Bills reserved for President’s consideration according to the Sarkaria Commission?

129. What are the spheres where the legislative council has equal powers and status with the assembly?

130. What are the spheres where the powers and status of the legislative council are unequal to that of the assembly?

131. Why is the legislative council given much lesser importance than the Rajya Sabha?

132. What are Privileges of State Legislature?

133. To whom are privileges of the state legislature extended?

134. Do privileges of the state legislature extend to the governor?

135. What are the two broad categories of privileges of a state legislature?

136. What are the collective privileges of each House of the state legislature?

137. What are the individual privileges of members of the state legislature?

138. Which Article deals with the Constitution of Legislatures in states?

139. Which Article deals with the Abolition or creation of Legislative Councils in states?

140. Which Article deals with the Composition of the Legislative Assemblies?

141. Which Article deals with the Composition of the Legislative Councils?

142. Which Article deals with the Duration of State Legislatures?

143. Which Article deals with Qualification for membership of the State Legislature?

144. Which Article deals with Sessions of the State Legislature, prorogation and dissolution?

145. Which Article deals with the Right of Governor to address and send messages to the House or Houses?

146. Which Article deals with Special address by the Governor?

147. Which Article deals with Rights of Ministers and Advocate-General as respects the Houses?

148. Which Article deals with The Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly?

149. Which Article deals with Vacation and resignation of, and removal from, the offices of Speaker and Deputy Speaker?

150. Which Article deals with the Power of the Deputy Speaker or other person to perform the duties of the office of, or to act as, Speaker?

her removal from office is under consideration?

152. Which Article deals with The Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council?

153. Which Article deals with Vacation and resignation of, and removal from, the offices of Chairman and Deputy Chairman?

154. Which Article deals with the Power of the Deputy Chairman or other person to perform the duties of the office of, or to act as, Chairman?

her removal from office is under consideration?

156. Which Article deals with Salaries and allowances of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker and the Chairman and Deputy Chairman?

157. Which Article deals with the Secretariat of State Legislature?

158. Which Article deals with Oath or affirmation by members?

159. Which Article deals with Voting in Houses, power of Houses to act notwithstanding vacancies and quorum?

160. Which Article deals with Vacation of seats?

161. Which Article deals with Disqualifications for membership?

162. Which Article deals with Decision on questions as to disqualifications of members?

163. Which Article deals with Penalty for sitting and voting before making oath or affirmation under Article 188 or when not qualified or when disqualified?

164. Which Article deals with Powers, privileges, etc., of the House of Legislatures and of the members and committees thereof?

165. Which Article deals with Salaries and allowances of members?

166. Which Article deals with Provisions as to introduction and passing of Bills?

167. Which Article deals with Restriction on powers of Legislative Council as to Bills other than Money Bills?

168. Which Article deals with Special procedure in respect of Money Bills?

169. Which Article deals with Definition of “Money Bills”?

170. Which Article deals with Assent to Bills?

171. Which Article deals with Bills reserved for consideration?

172. Which Article deals with Annual financial statement?

173. Which Article deals with Procedure in Legislature with respect to estimates?

174. Which Article deals with Appropriation Bills?

175. Which Article deals with Supplementary, additional or excess grants?

176. Which Article deals with Votes on account, votes of credit and exceptional grants?

177. Which Article deals with Special provisions as to financial Bills?

178. Which Article deals with Rules of procedure?

179. Which Article deals with Regulation by law of procedure in the Legislature of the state in relation to financial business?

180. Which Article deals with Language to be used in the Legislature?

181. Which Article deals with Restriction on discussion in the Legislature?

182. Which Article deals with Courts not to inquire into proceedings of the Legislature?

183. Which Article deals with Power of Governor to promulgate Ordinances during recess of Legislature?