What is Article 196 of Indian constitution

www.hinsoli.com July 05, 2025

Article 196 of the Indian Constitution

Title: Provisions as to introduction and passing of Bills

🔹 Text Summary:

Article 196 lays down the procedure for the introduction and passing of bills in a State Legislature, especially in states that have a bicameral legislature (i.e., both Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council).

📌 Clause-wise Breakdown:

Clause	Provision
(1)	A Bill may originate in either House of the State Legislature (Assembly or Council).
(2)	A Bill is considered passed when:
– It is passed by both Houses of the Legislature, if the state is bicameral, or
– Passed by the Legislative Assembly, if unicameral.
(3)	A Bill pending in the Legislature does not lapse:
– Due to prorogation (temporary suspension of the House by the Governor).
(4)	But a Bill does lapse if:
– It is pending in the Assembly and the Assembly is dissolved.
🚫 Exception: If the Bill has already been passed by one House, and is pending in the other, it does not lapse.

🧠 Key Takeaways:

Ensures parliamentary procedure is followed in law-making at the state level.
Lays the foundation for legislative process in both unicameral and bicameral states.
Defines conditions under which bills lapse or survive after dissolution.

🔁 Examples:

Scenario	Does the Bill Lapse?
Bill passed by Assembly but pending in Council	❌ No
Bill pending in Assembly, Assembly dissolved	✅ Yes
Bill pending in Council, Assembly dissolved	❌ No
House prorogued (temporarily suspended)	❌ No lapse

⚖️ Related Articles:

Article	Subject
107	Introduction and passing of bills in Parliament
198	Governor’s assent to State Bills
200	Procedure after bill is passed

🏛️ Applicable To:

States with unicameral legislatures (like Kerala, Punjab):
👉 Only the Legislative Assembly is involved.
States with bicameral legislatures (like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra):
👉 Both Assembly and Council are involved.