Understanding State Legislative Council Elections in India

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Key takeaways

Elections are underway for 28 seats across State Legislative Councils in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.
Currently, only 6 states in India maintain a bicameral legislature with a Vidhan Parishad.
Under Article 171, a Legislative Council cannot exceed one-third of the Assembly's total strength and must have at least 40 members.
Members serve 6-year terms, with one-third of the members retiring every 2 years.
Voting uses the Proportional Representation by Single Transferable Vote (PR-STV) system without party symbols on the ballot papers.

Elections are taking place for 28 seats in the State Legislative Councils of four states.
These four states are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, and Karnataka.

These elections use an indirect quota-based system to choose Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs).
MLCs serve in the upper house, known as the Vidhan Parishad, in states with two legislative houses.
Only six Indian states currently have a Vidhan Parishad.
These six states are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.

Article 169 allows Parliament to create or remove a State Legislative Council using a simple majority.
This creation or removal requires the state Assembly to pass a resolution first with a special majority.
Article 171 sets rules for the council's total strength and overall election structure.
A Legislative Council cannot have more members than one-third of the state Assembly's total strength.
The minimum size for any Legislative Council is fixed at 40 members.
Article 172(2) and Article 173 state that the Legislative Council is a permanent body that never dissolves.
MLCs serve 6-year terms, and one-third of the members retire every 2 years.
Candidates must be at least 30 years old to qualify for election as an MLC.

Local authorities like municipalities and district boards elect 1/3 of the total members.
Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) elect 1/3 of the members from outside their own assembly.
Registered university graduates with at least 3 years of residence elect 1/12 of the council.
Teachers who have taught for at least 3 years in secondary schools or higher institutions elect 1/12 of the members.
The State Governor nominates the remaining 1/6 of the members.
Governor nominations go to experts in literature, science, art, the cooperative movement, or social service.

Unlike general Assembly elections, voting is limited to specific groups based on the seat type.
Local authority seats allow only elected corporators, municipal councillors, and district board members to vote.
Graduates constituencies require voters to hold a degree for at least 3 years and submit proof.
Teachers constituencies require voters to have at least 3 years of teaching experience in approved institutions.
The MLA quota seats are voted on exclusively by sitting Assembly members.

Elections use Proportional Representation by Single Transferable Vote (PR-STV), where voters rank candidates by choice.
Graduates and teachers must register separately on special voter lists by submitting proof of degree, job, and residency.
Candidates win by securing a specific voting quota, with surplus or lower candidate votes transferred as needed.
Ballot papers do not feature official party symbols, even though political parties actively support candidates.