5.1 Difference between Unicameral and Bicameral - Union & States

-

 

What is a Unicameral Legislature?

It is a form of legislature where only one house (one central unit) exists to make and implement laws for the state/country. To understand it clearly, let’s categorize it into two parts:

  • Unicameral National Legislature

In the case of the Unicameral Union Parliament, the first example can be given of the country China where the National People’s Congress is the national legislature and is the highest organ of the nation. There is no other organ in China which administers laws for the country. A few other examples of the nations that have Unicameral National Legislatures are:

  1. Iran

  2. Norway

  3. Sweden

  4. Hungary

 

  • Unicameral State Legislature
    In the case of the unicameral state legislature, Indian states are the best examples to understand. Aspirants might know that in India, a few states’ parliaments are unicameral in nature i.e. they have only one house to make a law. In states, these are called ‘legislative assemblies.’

Out of 28 Indian States, there are 24 states which have a unicameral structure.

What is a Bicameral Legislature?

It is a legislative body with two houses. India is one such example where there are two houses both at union and also at 6 of its 28 states. In a bicameral legislature, the function to administer and implement the laws are shared between the two houses.

At the central level, the Indian Parliament has two houses:

  1. Lok Sabha (Lower House)

  2. Rajya Sabha (Upper House)

At the state level, six of the 28 state legislatures have two houses:

  1. Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha)

  2. Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad)

The names of the six states having bicameral legislature are:

  1. Andhra Pradesh

  2. Bihar

  3. Karnataka

  4. Maharashtra

  5. Telangana

  6. Uttar Pradesh

 

Basic Differences between Unicameral and Bicameral

 

Difference between Unicameral and Bicameral

Difference

Unicameral

Bicameral

Number of House

One

Two

Sharing of Power

Concentrated in one house

Shared between two houses

System of Government

Unitary

Federal

Decision-Making

Flexible and efficient as bills are introduced and passed in only a single house

Time-Consuming as both the houses have to pass the bill hence, their approval is a tedious task

Deadlock

Rare to None

Common as the two houses can disagree on a bill hence, a deadlock appears which is sorted with the help of joint sitting

Members

Elected/Nominated

Elected/Nominated

 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

6. Financial Relations Between Centre and State

-
Image
WHAT Generally, in a typical federation along with the distribution of legislative and administrative powers, the financial resources of the country are also distributed to ensure the financial independence of the units. However, the Indian Constitution does not make a clear cut distribution of the financial resources and leaves much to be decided by the Central Government from time to time. The financial resources which have been placed at the disposal of the state are so meager that they have to look up to the Union Government for subsidies and contributions.  HOW Taxes Exclusively Assigned to the Union Income from certain subjects like customs and export duties, income tax, excise duty on tobacco, jute,’ cotton, etc.,  Corporation tax, taxes on the capital value of assets of individuals and companies  Estate duty and succession duty in respect of the property and other than agricultural land   Income from the earning departments like the railways and postal d...
Read more

The Evolution of Life on Earth

-
Image
The evolution of life on Earth, from the emergence of eukaryotes to the rise of Homo sapiens, is a complex and fascinating process that spans billions of years.  Here is a step-by-step outline of key evolutionary milestones, focusing on when it occured,  what  happened, where  it took place, why  it was significant, and how  it occurred. 1. Origin of Eukaryotes   When:  2 billion years ago What: Eukaryotic cells appeared, characterized by a nucleus and organelles (like mitochondria and chloroplasts).  Where: Likely in ocean environments. Why: Eukaryotic cells were more complex and versatile than prokaryotes, allowing for more diverse forms of life. How: Endosymbiosis — larger prokaryotic cells engulfed smaller ones (such as bacteria that became mitochondria), forming a mutually beneficial relationship. This marked the beginning of complex multicellular organisms. 2. Multicellularity   When:  1.5 billion years ago What: Single-...
Read more

All about The Taliban

-
Image
WHAT The Taliban emerged as a force for social order in 1994 in the southern Afghan province of Kandahār and quickly subdued the local warlords who controlled the south of the country. By late 1996, popular support for the Taliban among Afghanistan’s southern Pashtun ethnic group , as well as assistance from conservative Islamic elements abroad, had enabled the faction to seize the capital, Kabul , and gain effective control of the country. Resistance to the Taliban continued, however, particularly among non-Pashtun ethnic groups—namely, the Tajik , the Uzbek , and the Ḥazāra —in the north, west, and central parts of the country, who saw the power of the predominantly Pashtun Taliban as a continuation of the traditional Pashtun hegemony of the country. By 2001 the Taliban controlled all but a small section of northern Afghanistan. More significant was the fact that the Taliban allowed Afghanistan to be a haven for Islamic militants from throughout the world, including an exiled Saudi...
Read more