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Article 168 of Indian Constitution - Detailed Analysis

Last Updated on Apr 11, 2025
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Overview

Name of the Article

Article 168 - Constitution of Legislatures in States

Part of the Constitutional Article

Part VI

Article 168 of Indian Constitution is an important provision under Part VI. Article 168 deals with the constitution of legislatures in states. It defines the composition of state legislatures which include the Governor and either one or two houses. The States with two houses have a Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) and a Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) whereas those with one house have only the Legislative Assembly.

Interpretation of Article 168 of Indian Constitution

Article 168 of Constitution states - “1) For every State there shall be a Legislature which shall consist of the Governor, and (a) in the States of Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, two houses (b) in other States, one House. 2) Where there are two Houses of the Legislature of a State, one shall be known as the Legislative Council and the other as the Legislative Assembly, and where there is only one House, it shall be known as the Legislative Assembly.”

Article 168 of Indian Constitution provides the composition of state legislatures which include the Governor and depending on the state either a single house or two houses. In states with two houses -

  • the legislature comprises the Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad)
  • the Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha)

In case of states with only one house have solely the Legislative Assembly.

The Governor is an integral part of the state legislature and plays a formal role in its functioning. It includes granting assent to bills passed by the legislature, summoning, proroguing and dissolving the Legislative Assembly.

The States operate under either a bicameral or unicameral legislative system. A bicameral legislature consists of an upper house, the Legislative Council and a lower house the Legislative Assembly which together establish a system of checks and balances. 

On the other hand, a unicameral system is limited to the Legislative Assembly and serves as the sole legislative body in most states. The diversity in legislative arrangement demonstrates the federal principle of accommodating regional differences.

Conclusion

Article 168 of Indian Constitution shows federal structure of the country which allows states to choose between bicameral or unicameral legislatures based on their needs. It highlights the formal role of the Governor in legislative processes. The provision ensures both flexibility and uniformity within the legislative framework.

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FAQs about Article 168 of Indian Constitution

Article 168 specifies the composition of state legislatures which include the Governor and depending on the state either one or two houses.

Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh have two houses: the Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) and the Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha).

Article 168 is mentioned under Part VI of the Constitution of India.

A bicameral legislature includes two houses: an upper house (Legislative Council) and a lower house (Legislative Assembly), creating a system of checks and balances. A unicameral legislature has only the Legislative Assembly, serving as the sole legislative body.
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