What is Article 171 of Indian constitution

www.hinsoli.com July 05, 2025

Article 171 of the Indian Constitution

Title: Composition of the Legislative Councils (Vidhan Parishad)

🔹 Text Summary of Article 171:

Article 171 defines how the Legislative Council (upper house of state legislature, if present) shall be constituted, and how its members are selected.

📌 Key Provisions of Article 171:

Clause	Provision
(1)	The total number of members in the Legislative Council shall not exceed one-third of the total members of the Legislative Assembly, and not be less than 40. (Exception: Jammu & Kashmir before reorganization)
(2)	Composition of the Council:

The members of the Legislative Council are chosen as follows:

Category	Percentage	Selection Method
MLAs (Legislative Assembly)	~1/3rd	Elected by members of the Legislative Assembly
Local Authorities (Municipalities, Zila Parishads, etc.)	~1/3rd	Elected by these bodies
Teachers (educational institutions of 3+ years)	~1/12th	Elected by teachers
Graduates (with 3 years' standing)	~1/12th	Elected by graduates
Governor's Nominees (eminent in art, literature, etc.)	~1/6th	Nominated by Governor

🧠 Key Takeaways:

Legislative Council is the Upper House in a bicameral State legislature.
The Council is partly elected and partly nominated—reflecting diverse representation.
Article 171 ensures balance between elected representatives and experts.
Not all states have a Legislative Council—only 6 states currently do.