Question

Who presides over the sessions of the Vidhan Parishad and Vidhan Sabha ?

Answer 1

Article 178 of the Indian Constitution provides for a Speaker to preside over the sessions of the Legislative Assembly of an Indian State as Article 93 provides for a similar Speaker in the Lok Sabha.

After every general election, the Legislative Assembly of a State, at its very first session shall elect a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker, from among its members. During the absence of the Speaker from office, the Deputy Speaker takes over his office. The Speaker generally belongs to the ruling party.

Similarly, the Legislative Council has two elected officials: the Chairman and Deputy Chairman. They are elected by the members of Legislative Council from amongst themselves. The Chairman, and in his absence the Deputy Chairman, presides over the meetings of the Legislative Council.

Answer 2

Speaker (elected from among its members by a simple majority of members present and voting in the House) presides over sessions of vidhan sabha. Generally he is a member of ruling party.

Chairman (elected by members of MLC) presides over Vidhan prashid. Chairman may be from opposition party because ruling party may not have majority in MLC.