What is the Relation between the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council?

The Legislative Assembly is more democratic, because it is directly elected by voters. But the Legislative Council includes members with varied backgrounds and experiences.

The Legislative Assembly is more partisan than the Legislative Council. The members of the Legislative Assembly speak and vote on party-lines. The members of the Legislative Council are generally partisan, if not totally nonpartisan.

In respect of financial matters, the Legislative Assembly is much more powerful than the Legislative Council. No Money Bill can be introduced in the Legislative Council. It can be introduced only in the Legislative Assembly. A Money Bill can be delayed by the Legislative Council maximum for 14 days. But, by no means, can it harm a Money Bill.

Ordinary Bills (Non-Money Bills) can be introduced either in the Legislative Assembly or in the Legislative Council. But here also the Legislative Assembly is more powerful than the Legislative Council.

The Legislative Council has power to delay an ordinary bill maximum for four months, but it cannot stop its passage, if the Legislative Assembly is determined to pass it. There is no provision for the joint sitting of the two Houses in case of differences between them regarding any bill.

The Legislative Assembly has significant control over the Executive, but the control of the Legislative Council over the Executive is minimal. The Council of Ministers is responsible to the Legislative Assembly, not to the Legislative Council. The state government has to resign if a no-confidence motion is passed in the Legislative Assembly.

But the government is not obliged to resign if a no-confidence motion is adopted in the Legislative Council. However, the Legislative Council, like the Legislative Assembly, can exercise some control over the government by putting questions and moving motions and resolutions.

The Legislative Council is not only the second chamber, but also a secondary chamber. It enjoys much less power and prestige than the Legislative Assembly. As compared to the latter, the former is of marginal utility.

However, the Legislative Council has some values, because it serves as a healthy check on the Legislative Assembly which is prone to take hasty and ill-considered decisions. The sober voice of the Legislative Council is a useful antidote to the rashness of the Legislative Assembly.

Conclusion

After the passage of the Anti-Defection Act, defection in state politics has significantly decreased. But many people with criminal background are able to enter state legislatures. Many state legislators are not serious about their duty and function. The quality of state legislatures has eroded.