← 1 November 2026's Current Affairs · Polity GA Prelims ★★★★☆ Mains ★★★☆☆
Explained: how members of State Legislative Councils are elected
Why in News?
Not one MLC is chosen by direct vote: the Article 169 and 171 rules KPSC polity questions test
How MLCs are elected and how Councils are created.
Why it matters: asked in UPSC 2015
What you need to know
2 min read
A State Legislative Council is indirectly elected through different electorates such as MLAs, local bodies, graduates and teachers, with some members nominated by the Governor.
Under Article 169 Parliament can create or abolish a Council if the Assembly passes a special-majority resolution, and Karnataka is among the few States that have one.
Sources: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
Key facts
Remember these
- A State Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) is indirectly elected; some members are nominated by the Governor.
- Electorates include MLAs, local bodies, graduates and teachers.
- Article 169: Parliament can create or abolish a Council if the Assembly passes a resolution by special majority.
- Article 171: Council strength cannot exceed one-third of the Assembly and cannot be less than 40.
- Karnataka is among the few States that have a Legislative Council.
Prelims · Mains
How the exam will ask it
Prelims
- Members of a State Legislative Council are not all elected by the direct vote of the people; they come from MLAs, local bodies, graduates, teachers and Governor nominees.
- Under Article 169, Parliament can create or abolish a Legislative Council on a special-majority resolution of the State Assembly.
- Under Article 171, the strength of a Council cannot exceed one-third of the Assembly's strength and cannot be less than 40.
- Karnataka is one of the few States with a bicameral legislature.
Mains
GS Paper 2 (polity, federalism). Issue: the role and relevance of State Legislative Councils as a second chamber. Provision: Articles 169 and 171 give Parliament the power to create or abolish Councils and fix their composition through indirect election and nomination. Implication: Councils offer expert and local-body representation but can also delay legislation and add cost; the way forward is a clear debate on their value and ensuring nominations stay merit-based.
PYQ connection
A question UPSC has already asked on this
Consider the following statements:
- The Legislative Council of a State in India can be larger in size than half of the Legislative Assembly of that particular State
- The Governor of a State nominates the Chairman of Legislative Council of that particular State.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: D
Why this matters: today's issue is directly connected to a concept UPSC has already tested. Read the story with this question in mind.
Practise this PYQ →Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
With reference to State Legislative Councils in India, consider the following statements:
- Members of a Legislative Council are all elected by the direct vote of the people.
- The strength of a Legislative Council cannot exceed one-third of the strength of the Legislative Assembly and cannot be less than
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
Show answer
Answer: B — Correct: 2 only — Statement 1 is false (members come from MLAs, local bodies, graduates, teachers and Governor nominees) while statement 2 is the rule. • 1 only — wrong: Statement 1 is false, as Council members are chosen indirectly or nominated. • Both 1 and 2 — wrong: Statement 1 is false, so both cannot be correct. • Neither 1 nor 2 — wrong: Statement 2 is correct under Article 171, so 'neither' is wrong.
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