Legislative assembly
Legislative assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its branch. The name is used by a number of countries, including member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations and other countries. It is also used by their sub-national divisions, such as the Indian States, Australian States and Canadian provinces.
Legislative assemblies in the Commonwealth
The modern-day legislative assembly in a Commonwealth country, either as a national or sub-national parliament, is in most cases an evolution of one of these colonial legislative chambers, whether the full legislature or a lower house. In a number of jurisdictions, the name House of Assembly is used instead. It is one of the main names used in everyday
Examples of legislative assemblies in Commonwealth countries
In India, the lower or sole house of each constituent state's parliament is called the legislative assembly, or Vidhan Sabha. The same name is also used for the lower house of the legislatures for two of the union territories, Delhi and Puducherry. The upper house in the seven states with a bicameral legislature is called the legislative council, or Vidhan Parishad. Members of the former are called MLAs, and those of the latter MLCs.
The lower houses of the parliaments of the Australian states of New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia are called the legislative assembly. In contrast, the state of Queensland has abolished the former upper house of its parliament, leaving the legislative assembly as the sole chamber. The sole house of parliament in the Australian Capital Territory is the legislative assembly.
In Canada, seven of the ten provinces and all three of the territories style their legislatures as legislative assembly. All are unicameral.
In Malaysia, the unicameral parliaments of the 13 individual states are known as Dewan Undangan Negeri ("state legislative assembly").
Former legislative assemblies
In Quebec, the legislative assembly was renamed the National Assembly, as part of the abolition of the legislative council on December 31, 1968.
In Mauritius, the unicameral Parliament was known as the legislative assembly until 1992, when, following the establishment of a republic, it was renamed the National Assembly.
Legislative assemblies outside the Commonwealth
Legislative Assembly are the national legislatures of the sovereign nations of Bolivia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Samoa, Thailand and Tonga, and the non-sovereign nations of Macao and Puerto Rico. The legislatures of the States of Brazil are called "legislative assembly". The legislatures of the two autonomous regions of Portugal, Azores and Madeira, are also called "legislative assembly", respectively the Legislative Assembly of the Azores and the Legislative Assembly of Madeira. When Kyrgyzstan experimented with bicameralism between 1991 and 2007, the Upper House established was styled the Legislative Assembly, with the Lower House being the Assembly of People's Representatives.