Parliament and State Legislature - Overview & Composition | UPSC Polity Notes

India follows a parliamentary system of government where the Centre has a bicameral legislature. Some states also have a bicameral system, while others have a unicameral system. According to the Constitution, the Parliament of India comprises the President and two houses: the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and the House of the People (Lok Sabha). However, in the context of State legislatures, there is a lack of uniformity in the organization and structure. There are 6 states that have bicameral legislatures i.e. Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.

This article provides a comparison between the Union Parliament and the state legislatures for the UPSC exam. It comprises an important section of polity in General Studies paper -2 syllabus.

Composition of the Parliament

• The President of India is the head of the country. They have the power to oversee and approve executive actions. This power is given to them by the Constitution of India. 
• The Rajya Sabha, also known as the Council of States, is the upper house of Parliament. It has more than 250 members, including representatives from different states and union territories. 
• The Lok Sabha, or the House of the People, has 552 members who are elected to represent the states, union territories, and also includes members nominated by the President. The tenure of the Lok Sabha is five years, and the President can dissolve it if needed.

Composition of the State Legislature

• The State Legislature is responsible for making laws and introducing new ideas for the state. 
• The members of the State Legislative Assembly have similar powers to those in Parliament but only for their specific state. 
• The Constitution of India explains all the important rules and requirements for the State Legislative Assembly. Just like Parliament has two houses, some states also have a second house called the Legislative Council. 
• Six states, including Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, have a Legislative Council. However, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council was removed when the state became two separate Union Territories.

Difference Between Parliament and State Legislature

Study other Important Articles of the Polity Preamble!

Conclusion

Parliament is a vital democratic institution that represents the will of the people. Its role is to legislate in a transparent, accessible and effective manner.

State legislative assemblies have exclusive powers to make laws concerning subjects in the State List and Concurrent List under India's constitution. However, in practice the central government often has superior authority, even over these state subjects. The central government can assume control over state matters if Parliament deems it to be in the public interest.

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