Cabinet to discuss setting up Legislative Council in Assam

The Union Cabinet is likely to take a call tomorrow on a proposal to create a Legislative Council in Assam, which has been a long-pending demand of various political parties and ethnic groups in the northeastern state.
Assam had an Upper House which was abolished after Independence.
According to the proposal, the Legislative Council will have 42 members.
As per Article 171 of the Constitution, the total number of members in the Council of a state having such a House shall not exceed one third of the total number of members in the Legislative Assembly of that state. In the case of Assam, the total number of MLAs is 126.

The state Legislative Assembly had in 2005 and 2010 passed a resolution demanding an Upper House.
Political parties and groups believe that members of various communities and ethnic groups which could not be sent to the Assembly can be accommodated in the Council for a fair representation.
Creation of a Legislative Council was part of Congress' election manifesto in Assam.
A Bill to create a Legislative Council in Rajasthan was introduced in Parliament recently and it is pending with the Standing Committee.