Secretariat of State Legislature

Quick Summary (TL;DR)

Article 187 (Secretariat of State Legislature): Regulates State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabha) and Legislative Councils under Part VI.

In Simple Citizen Words

Article 187 ('Secretariat of State Legislature') in Part VI, Chapter III governs the State Legislature (Vidhan Sabha and, where applicable, Vidhan Parishad). It sets the constitutional rules for composition of Assemblies, MLA qualifications/disqualifications, sessions, Speaker/Deputy Speaker duties, passage of State Bills and Budgets, assent to Bills (Arts 200–201), and legislative privileges. Specifically: (1) The House or each House of the Legislature of a State shall have a separate secretarial staff: Provided that nothing in this clause shall, in the case of the Legislature of a State having a Legislative Council, be construed as...

Key Constitutional Provisions

Constitutional Mandate (Art. 187): Directly codifies the legal rule for 'Secretariat of State Legislature' under Part VI

Structured across 4 clause(s) with explicit constitutional provisos/safeguards

Exercises of constitutional office under this article must follow aid, advice, and established constitutional conventions

Exceptions & Reasonable Restrictions

State Legislatures must legislate within the State and Concurrent Lists (Seventh Schedule) and cannot violate Fundamental Rights or constitutional procedures.

Why This Matters in Daily Life

Guarantees democratic law-making and budget scrutiny at the state level through your elected MLAs.

Want deeper legal & historical context? Explore the official Bare Act or Supreme Court Precedents & CAD Debates:

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Dr. B. R. Ambedkar & K. M. Munshi

Drafting Committee Leaders • June 2–3, 1949

🏛️ Constituent Assembly Debates (1946–1949)

Core Constitutional Debate & Dilemma

Framing context for Article 187: Empowering directly elected State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabhas) over state subjects and budgets while allowing States the option to create or abolish a second chamber (Vidhan Parishad).

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"The Legislative Assembly directly elected by adult franchise is the primary sovereign forum of the people in each State, holding the State Cabinet accountable for every rupee of state revenue."

Assembly Resolution & Final Synthesis

Constitutional resolution in Article 187: Codified Articles 168–213 regulating State Legislatures, flexible creation/abolition of Legislative Councils (Art 169), Money Bill procedures, and time-bound assent to State Bills (Art 200).

🏛️ Constitutional Significance: During the Constituent Assembly deliberations, Article 187 was codified as an integral pillar of India's constitutional governance.

Official Constitutional Text (Gazette Bare Act)

Authoritative statutory text as enacted and amended by Parliament • Clause-by-Clause Statutory Breakdown

India Code • Govt. of India Archive

Clause (1)

The House or each House of the Legislature of a State shall have a separate secretarial staff: Provided that nothing in this clause shall, in the case of the Legislature of a State having a Legislative Council, be construed as preventing the creation of posts common to both Houses of such Legislature.

Clause (2)

The Legislature of a State may by law regulate the recruitment, and the conditions of service of persons appointed, to the secretarial staff of the House or Houses of the Legislature of the State.

Clause (3)

Until provision is made by the Legislature of the State under clause (2), the Governor may, after consultation with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly or the Chairman of the Legislative Council, as the case may be, make rules regulating the recruitment, and the conditions of service of persons appointed, to the secretarial staff of the Assembly or the Council, and any rules so made shall have effect subject to the provisions of any law made under the said clause.

Public Domain & Statutory Authenticity Notice

Under Section 52(1)(q) of the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, the Constitution of India, Bare Acts of Parliament, Gazette Notifications, and Judicial Judgments of the Supreme Court and High Courts are in the Public Domain. Text is reproduced from the official Legislative Department, Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India (India Code) archives.

Then vs Now: Constitutional Evolution & Visual Diff

Secretariat of State Legislature

🟢 Original 1950 Text Intact (Zero Textual Repeal) Baseline: Jan 26, 1950 → Today

ORIGINAL BASELINE (1950)

Enacted on 26 January 1950 by the Constituent Assembly of India. The foundational constitutional text of Article 187 (Secretariat of State Legislature) has remained intact since Day 1 without parliamentary deletion or repeal.

CURRENT ENFORCEABLE STATUS (TODAY)

100% Original 1950 Text Enforceable Today: Article 187 (Secretariat of State Legislature): Regulates State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabha) and Legislative Councils under Part VI.

Key Amendment Milestones & Textual Modifications

Original Enactment by the Constituent Assembly

Year 1950

Why it happened: Crafted by the Founding Fathers & Mothers with enduring constitutional clarity; its core text has stood untouched for over 75 years.

                                    Status: 🟢 Unchanged Since 26 January 1950 — Original Constitutional Mandate Preserved Intact                                

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Emergency Citizen Helplines

Secretariat of State Legislature

Official Constitutional Text (Gazette Bare Act)

Then vs Now: Constitutional Evolution & Visual Diff

Key Amendment Milestones & Textual Modifications