Andhra Pradesh Assembly passes resolution to abolish Legislative Council. Rudra 🚩🚩

The Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly unanimously passed a resolution on January 27, 2020 to abolish the state legislative council. The state cabinet had approved the resolution earlier in the day. The proposal will now be sent to the centre for further action.

The one-line resolution to abolish the state council was passed in the assembly by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy. The resolution was passed with 133 members voting in favour of it. This was announced by assembly speaker Tammineni Seetharam.

Seetharam announced that the resolution calling for the dissolution of the council was passed after detailed discussions. After the resolution's adoption, the house speaker announced adjournment of the house. The proposal will now be sent to the central government, which will be required to take up further action on the matter. 

Why does AP government want to abolish the Legislative Council?

The proposal to abolish the legislative council has been adopted by the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy. The move came after Reddy’s government failed to pass two crucial bills in the upper house of the legislature. The bills were related to the government’s plan of having three different capitals for the state- Legislative, judicial and executive capitals.

The ruling YSR Congress has a minority in the Legislative Council. The Jagan Mohan Reddy-led party has just nine members in the 58-member council, while the opposition Telugu Desam Party has a majority in the house with 28 members. YSR Congress will have to wait till 2021 to get a majority in the house.

What is the Legislative Council?

The Legislative Council is the upper house in the state legislature. Similar to the Rajya Sabha, the council is a permanent house, which means that it cannot be dissolved. Only the state legislative assembly can be dissolved.

The Parliament is the sole authority that can provide for the abolishment of a state legislative council or creation of a council in a state that has no council till now. The Parliament can pass the law if the state legislative assembly passes a resolution proposing the abolishment of the council by a majority of the total membership of the assembly and by a majority of not less than two-thirds of members present and voting.

Which state was the first to abolish the state legislative council?

Assam was the first state to abolish its state legislative council. The state passed a resolution for the same in 1947.

How many states have abolished the legislative council?

After Assam, West Bengal had abolished its legislative council in 1969 and Punjab abolished it in 1970. The state legislative council of Andhra Pradesh was also abolished previously in 1985 and was revived again in 2006.

States that abolished Legislative Council

West Bengal Legislative Council 

1969

1970

2019