Type Upper house Leader of House Nitish Kumar, JD(U) Seats 75 | Deputy Chairman Vacant Leader of Opposition Sushil Kumar Modi, BJP | |
 | ||
Chairman Awadhesh Narain Singh, BJP
Since 9 Aug 2012 | ||
Bihar Vidhan Parishad, also known as Bihar Legislative Council, is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the state of Bihar in India.
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History
A new Province of Bihar and Orissa was created by the British Government on 12 December 1911. The Legislative Council with a total of 43 members belonging to different categories was formed in 1912. The first sitting of the Council was convened on 20 January 1913. In 1936, Bihar attained its separate Statehood. Under the Government of India Act, 1919, the unicameral legislature got converted into bicameral one, i.e. the Bihar Legislative Council and the Bihar Legislative Assembly. Under the Government of India Act, 1935, the Bihar Legislative Council consisted of 29 members. After the first General Elections 1952, the number of members was increased up to 72 and by 1958 the number was raised to 96. With the creation of Jharkhand, as a result of the Bihar Reorganisation Act, 2000 passed by the Parliament, the strength of the Bihar Legislative Council has been reduced from 96 to 75 members.Some veteran council members B.P. Mandal, Jagannath Mishra, Satyendra Narain Singh & Laloo Prasad Yadav have also served as Chief Minister of Bihar.
Working
Bihar Legislative Council is a permanent body and not subject to dissolution. But as nearly as possible, one-third of the members thereof retire as soon as may be on the expiration of every second year. Members are now elected or nominated for six years and one-third of them retire every second year. The presiding officers of Vidhan Parishad are now known as Chairman and Deputy Chairman. Members of the upper house, the Legislative Council are indirectly elected through an electoral college. There are 27 Committees which are, at present, functional in the Council. Besides, there are three Financial Committees consisting of the members of the two Houses of the State Legislature.