The Legislature (Vidhan Sabha) in Uttarakhand

The Legislature (Vidhan Sabha) in Uttarakhand

The Legislature (Vidhan Sabha) in Uttarakhand : The Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly or Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of Uttarakhand. It has powers to legislate on matters related to the state as defined by the Constitution of India. The seat of the Vidhan Sabha is at Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand.

Composition and Term

The Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly consists of 70 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). The maximum strength of the House is 75.

The normal term of the Assembly is five years from the date appointed for its first meeting, unless it is dissolved earlier. The term may be extended during an emergency.

Presiding Officers

The Assembly is presided over by the Speaker who is assisted by the Deputy Speaker. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected from amongst the members of the Vidhan Sabha.

The current Speaker is Shri Prem Chand Agarwal and the Deputy Speaker is Shri Raghunath Singh Chauhan.

Seat Allocation

Out of the 70 seats in the Assembly, 13 seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 2 seats for Scheduled Tribes as per their share in the state’s population.

Assembly Elections

Elections for the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly are held every 5 years. The last election was held in 2022.

Some key details about the Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha elections over the years:

• 1st Assembly Elections (2002): Held when Uttarakhand was newly formed. BJP emerged as the single largest party with 35 seats.
• 2nd Assembly Elections (2007): Congress won with a clear majority getting 32 seats. BJP managed just 18 seats.
• 3rd Assembly Elections (2012): Congress returned to power with 32 seats. BJP managed 31 seats.
• 4th Assembly Elections (2017): BJP made a strong comeback getting 57 seats. Congress was reduced to just 11 seats.
• 5th Assembly Elections (2022): BJP retained its majority again getting 47 seats. Congress improved to 19 seats.

Powers and Functions

The Legislative Assembly of Uttarakhand has the usual parliamentary functions of legislation, overseeing the actions of the executive, and debating of current issues.

Some key functions and powers of the Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha are:

Legislative Powers

• Power to make laws on matters under the State List and Concurrent List, under the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution
• Power to legislate on matters like public order, police, public health and sanitation, agriculture, irrigation etc. related to governance and administration of the state

Financial Powers

• Examine and approve the budget and financial proposals of the state government
• Vote on the demand for grants for various departments

Executive Oversight

• Ability to call for reports and answers from various departments
• Ask questions of ministers related to their ministries
• Motions and resolutions can be brought to ensure executive accountability

Electoral Powers

• Elect the Chief Minister, Speaker, Deputy Speaker, committee members etc.

Amendment Powers

• Power to amend the state constitution and the rules of procedure of the House

Deliberative Functions

• Provide a forum for debate and discussion on policies and issues facing the state

Committees of the Assembly

The Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha works through various committees focused on different aspects of functioning.

Some key committees are:

• Business Advisory Committee: Recommends the time allocation for discussion on legislative work
• Committee on Petitions: Examines petitions from individuals and associations
• Committee on Government Assurances: Scrutinizes assurances, promises given by ministers
• Committee on Subordinate Legislation: Scrutinizes rules, regulations framed under the legislation passed
• Committee on Papers Laid on the Table: Examines reports, documents laid before the Assembly
• Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes: Looks into welfare of SCs and STs
• Committee on Estimates: Examines budget estimates and other public expenditure
• Public Accounts Committee: Audits appropriation of sums granted by the Assembly

Key Legislative Work

Some important legislation passed by the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly across various terms include:

1st Assembly (2002-2007)

• Uttaranchal Panchayati Raj Act, 2005
• Uttaranchal Municipalities Act, 2005
• Uttaranchal Civil Courts Act, 2003

2nd Assembly (2007-2012)

• Uttarakhand Agricultural Land to Non-Agriculturists for Bona Fide Industrial or Commercial or Residential or Institutional or Education or Charitable Purposes Act, 2011

3rd Assembly (2012-2017)

• Uttarakhand Lokayukta Act, 2014
• Uttarakhand Appropriation Acts (2013-2017)

4th Assembly (2017-2022)

• Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Act, 2019
• Uttarakhand Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 2019
• Uttarakhand Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017

Speakers’ Research Initiatives (SRI)

The Speakers’ Research Initiative (SRI) was started in 2015 with the aim to facilitate intellectual dialogue between Assembly members, experts and the public on key issues facing Uttarakhand.

Some activities undertaken under SRI:

• Discussions on Ganga river systems
• Debates on forest fires, waste management, disasters
• Workshops on biodiversity, environmental issues

The SRI provides a platform to generate qualitative inputs to assist members in legislative work and policy-making.

Conclusion to The Legislature (Vidhan Sabha) in Uttarakhand

The Legislature (Vidhan Sabha) in Uttarakhand : The Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha is at the core of representative democracy in the state. It is the platform where political debates happen, laws are made, policies formulated and government held accountable.

Over its 20 years of existence, the Assembly has seen shifts in power between parties. It has passed important legislation across diverse sectors. With the Speakers’ Research Initiatives, efforts are being made to strengthen research and law-making.

As Uttarakhand charts its path as a young Himalayan state, the Legislative Assembly will continue to shape its governance and development.

What is the current strength of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly?

The Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly consists of 70 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA). The maximum strength of the House is 75.

How long is the normal term of the Vidhan Sabha?

The normal term of the Assembly is five years from the date appointed for its first meeting, unless it is dissolved earlier.

What are some key functions of the Vidhan Sabha?

Some key functions are:

• Legislative Powers to make laws
• Financial Powers to examine state budget
• Executive Oversight to ensure government accountability
• Electoral Powers regarding CM, Speaker, committees
• Deliberative Functions to debate policies and issues

What is the Speaker’s Research Initiative (SRI)?

The Speakers’ Research Initiative (SRI) facilitates intellectual dialogue between Assembly members, experts and public on key issues facing Uttarakhand.

Who is the current Speaker of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly?

The current Speaker is Shri Prem Chand Agarwal.