2. Notes
  3. UPSC
  4. Indian Polity and Civics
  5. The State Legislature
  6. Short Notes - The States (Article 152 - 237)

UPSC Indian Polity and Civics The State Legislature Short Notes - The States (Article 152 - 237)

Short Notes - The States (Article 152 - 237)

Category : UPSC

 

The States (Article 152-237)

 

The Governor (Article 153-162)

  • The Governor of a State is appointed by the President of India (Article 155).
  • The same Governor can act as Governor of more than one State (Article 153-162).
  • According to Article 156 the Governor of the State holds office during the pleasure of the President.

 

Qualifications

  • must be a citizen of India,
  • must be at least 35 years old, and

(c) should not hold any office of profit during his/her tenure.

  • The Governor like the President can grant pardons, reprieves, remission of punishment to persons convicted under the state Law.
  • Under Article 163 the Governor enjoys discretionary powers. The courts cannot question his discretion.
  • According to Article 171 the Governor can nominate some members from amongst those distinguished in literature, science, arts, ooperative movement and social services to state legislature.
  • The Governor is empowered to. Issue ordinances.

 

Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha)

  • It is the lower and popular house of the State. Members are chosen by direct election on the basis of adult suffrage from territorial Constituencies (Article 170).
  • Their number of members varies between 60 and 500. However certain States like Sikkim, Goa, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh have less than 60 members. .
  • The Governor may nominate one Anglo-Indian to it.        .
  • The reservation of seats has been provided for SCs and STs on the basis of their population.
  • According to Article 172, duration of 4
  • Assembly is normally 5 years. But it may be dissolved earlier by the Governor.
  • Its term may also be extended by one year at a time by Parliament during national emergency, though this can in no case be extended beyond 6 months after the proclamation has ceased to operate.

 

Legislative Council (Article 169)

  • It is the upper house.
  • Parliament may by law create or abolish Legislative Council.
  • It can be created, if the Legislative Assembly of the State passes a resolution to the effect by special majority.
  • It is not an Amendment to the Constitution and therefore it can be passed like an ordinary piece of legislation.
  • Article 171    contains    various categories of members. According to this:
  • 1/3rd of its members are elected by Legislative
  • 1/3rd by local bodies.
  • 1/6th nominated by the Governor.
  • 1/12th are elected by teachers.
  • 1/5th by university graduates.
  • The maximum strength of Legislative Council can be l/3rd of the total membership of Legislative Assembly, but in no case less than 40.
  • Parliament has the final power to decide about its composition.
  • It is not subject to dissolution. But 1/3"1 of its members retire on the expiry of every 2nd

 

High Courts (Article 214-232)

  • The High Courts stand at the head of the judiciary in a State.
  • There shall be a High Court for each State Article-214.
  • The Judiciary in the states consist of a High Court and subordinate courts.
  • The Parliament can, however, establish by law, a common High Court for one or more states and one or more territory (Article 215).
  • There are 24 High Courts in India
  • The Calcutta High Court is the oldest of all which was established in 1862. The Bombay and Madras High Courts were established in the same year.
  • Chhatisgarh, Uttarakhand (Nainital) and Jharkhand (Ranchi) High Courts were established in the year 2000.

 

 

The High Courts: Seats and Jurisdictions

 

Name            Year of Establishment          Territorial Jurisdiction                   Seat

1.      Allahabad                          1866                                    Uttar Pradesh                Allahabad (Bench at Lucknow)

2.     Andhra Pradesh                  1954                                   Andhra Pradesh                        Hyderabad

3.     Mumbai                              1862*                                Maharashtra, Dadar                   Mumbai Cbenches

                                                                                          & Nager Haveli, Goa,                  at Nagpur, Panaji,

                                                                                             Daman & Diu                              Aurangabad)

4.     Kolkata                               1862*                              West Bengal, Andaman                 Kolkata [bench at

                                                                                            & Nicobar Islands                         Port Blair)

5.     Delhi[UT)                           1966                                           Delhi                                         Delhi

6.     Guwahati                           1948                                    Assam, Nagaland,                      Guwahati (Benches

                                                                                        Mizoram and Arunachal                  at Kohima, Imphal,

                                                                                                     Pradesh                             Agartala & Shillong)

7.     Gujarat                               1960                                            Gujarat                                Ahmedabad

8.    Himachal Pradesh               1966                                    Himachal Pradesh                            Shimla

9.    Jammu & Kashmir              1928                                   Jammu & Kashmir                     Srinagar &Jammu

10.  Karnataka                            1884                                         Karnataka                                Bengaluru

11.  Kerala                                  1958                                    Kerala & Lakshadweep                 Ernakulam

12.  Madhya Pradesh                  1956                                      Madhya Pradesh                      Jabalpur (Bench at

                                                                                                                                                  Indore, Gwalior)

13. Madras                                 1862*                                      Tamil Nadu &                               Madras

                                                                                                     Puducherry

14. Odisha                                    1948                                              Odisha                                   Cuttack

15. Patna                                     1916                                               Bihar                                      Patna

16. Punjab & Haryana                1975                                      Punjab, Haryana,                        Chandigarh

                                                                                                     Chandigarh

17. Rajasthan                              1949                                          Rajasthan                            Jodhpur (Bench-

                                                                                                                                                            Jaipur)

18. Sikkim                                    1975                                               Sikkim                                  Gangtok

19. Chhattisgarh                          2000                                         Chhattisgarh                                 Bilaspur

20. Uttarakhand                          2000                                            Uttarakhand                              Nainital

21. Jharkhand                               2000                                             Jharkhand                               Ranchi

22. Manipur                                 2013                                           Manipur                                  Imphal

23. Meghalaya                              2013                                            Meghalaya                               Shillong

24. Tripura                                   2013                                                Tripura                                  Agartala

 

* Marked are the oldest High Courts

 

The Panchayati Raj (Article 243-0)

  • Rajasthan is the first state in India, where Panchayati Raj was implemented in the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992.
  • 1991- P.V. Narasimha Rao Govt. Rajya Sabha accepted the bill.
  • 1993- After acceptance of 17 states, on 20th, April, 1993 President of India signed on it.
  • It gave Constitutional status to Panchayati Raj system.
  • After Amendment Panchayati Raj added to the 11th Schedule of the Constitution
  • 29 items related to Panchayats are there in Article 243(G).

          

The Three Tire System of Local Governance

  • Gram Panchayat at Village Level
  • Panchayat Samiti at Block Level
  • Zila Parishad at District Level
  • The Panchayat system has been established in all the states except Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram.
  • It also exists in all Union Territories except Delhi.
  • Panchayat system is provided for all States having a population more than 2 million.
  • Every Panchayat can continue for five years from the date of its first meeting

 

                                                        Committees to Study Panchayat System

 

Name

Established

Recommendation

Balwantrai

Mehta

 

K Santhanam

 

 

Ashok Mehta

 

 

GVK Rao

 

 

LM Singhvi

1957

 

 

1963

 

 

1978

 

 

1985

 

 

1986

Establish local bodies, devolve power and authority, basic unit of decentralised government to be Block/ Samiti. Conceptualised PRIs as 3-tier system,

 

Panchayats to have powers to levy tax on land revenue, etc. Panchayati Raj Finance Corporation to be set up.

 

District to be a viable administrative unit for planning. PRIs as two -tier system with Mandal Panchayat and Zila Parishad.

 

PRIs to be activated and supported, Block Development Office [BDO] to be central to rural development.

 

Local self-governments to be Constitutionally recognized, non-involvement of political parties,


The Municipalities (Article 243P-243 ZG)

 

PART IX A added by 74th Amendment Act 1992, gives a constitutional foundation to the local self-government units in urban area.

  • Most provisions for municipalities are similar to those contained in PART IX, e.g., structure, reservation of seats, functions, source of income, etc.
  • Nagar Panchayat, is for an area being transformed from a rural area to an urban.
  • Municipal Council is for a smaller urban area.
  • Municipal Corporation is for a larger urban area. The Municipal Corporation is the topmost urban local government.
  • The members of a Municipality argenerally elected by direct election.
  • The legislature of a state can provide for representation in municipalities of:

- Persons having special knowledge or experience in municipal administration.

Municipal Governance in India was first introduced in Madras in 1688. The Bombay and Calcutta Corporations were established in 1726.

 

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