Type Unicameral | Seats 182 | |
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Deputy Speaker Shambhuji Thakor, BJPSince 22 August 2016 Leader of the House Vijay Rupani, BJPSince 7 August 2016 Opposition Leader Shankersinh Vaghela, INCSince January 2013 | ||
Gujarat Legislative Assembly or Gujarat Vidhan Sabha (Gujarati: ગુજરાત વિધાન સભા) is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of Gujarat. It is situated in the capital Gandhinagar. Presently, 182 members of the Legislative Assembly are directly elected from the single-seat constituencies and one member is nominated. It has term of 5 years unless it is dissolved sooner. 13 constituencies are reserved for scheduled castes and 26 constituencies for scheduled tribes.
Contents
History
In 1918, Bhavsinhji Gohil, ruler of Bhavnagar State, established The Peoples' Representative Assembly consisting of 38 members appointed by him. His succeeding son, Krishnakumar Sinhji, formed the Bhavnagar legislative assembly in 1941 having 55 members, consisting of 33 elected members, 16 nominated members by him and 6 ex-officio members. They had power to ask questions, move resolutions, discuss the budget and introduce bills in the assembly. This assembly used to meet at least twice in a year. Porbandar state assembly had same powers. Sayajirao Gaekwad, ruler of Baroda state, had formed the Baroda legislative assembly in 1908.
Since 1921, representative were elected by the people of that area of the present Gujarat state except the princely states, and sent to the Bombay state legislative assembly. In 1952, Saurashtra legislative assembly was constituted after the independence of India. It was functional till 31 October 1956. Saurashtra state was merged into the Bombay state under the States Reorganization Act, 1956.
On 1 May 1960, the Bombay state was bifurcated into Gujarat and Maharashtra states which resulted in formation of Gujarat legislative assembly. 132 members of the former Bombay legislative assembly, elected from the territorial constituencies of Gujarat, formed the first Gujarat legislative assembly. Number of the members was increased to 154 in 1962, 168 in 1967 and 182 in 1975.
Place
After formation of Gujarat state in 1960, Ahmedabad was a capital of the state. Assembly started functioning from the present day OPD building of Ahmedabad Civil Hospital. New capital city, Gandhinagar was built in 1971. Later assembly was shifted to Central Library building, sector-17, Gandhinagar on 11 February 1971. President Neelam Sanjiva Reddy laid foundation stone of new assembly building, Vithalbhai Patel Bhavan on 20 March 1978. It was designed by H. K. Mewada, chief planner of Gandhinagar. The construction was completed in 1982 and it was named after Vithalbhai Patel, the first Indian speaker of Central Legislative Assembly. It was inaugurated by Governor Sharda Mukherjee on 8 July 1982. Since then the Gujarat legislative assembly works here.
History of elections
See history from 1960 onwards: Elections in Gujarat
The above link lists which party won how many seats in which year, who was elected the Chief Minister, etc.
Constituencies and current members
The following is the list of the members of the 13th Gujarat Legislative Assembly.
Keys: BJP (123) INC (56) NCP (2) JD(U) (1)