Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council

In the 1980s, Andhra Pradesh became one of the first states to seek the abolition of the upper houses, which were being increasingly criticised as being unnecessary, unrepresentative of the population, a burden on the state budget and causing delays in passing legislation.[1][2][3][4] However, the move was criticised as an attempt by the then-ruling party, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), to deny their main political opposition, the Indian National Congress (then Congress (I)) of influence in the state government and the control of the upper house, which could delay TDP-sponsored legislation and where the TDP held no seats.[4] In accordance with a resolution passed by the Andhra Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, the Indian Parliament abolished the Vidhan Parishad through the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council (Abolition) Act in 1985, after the Congress (I) suffered a major defeat in the state elections in Andhra Pradesh.[1][4]

Subsequent attempts were made to revive the Legislative Council under Chief Minister Dr. Marri Chenna Reddy, who belonged to the Congress (I), which had won the state elections in 1989.[1][4] A resolution to revive the Legislative Council was passed in the Vidhan Sabha on 22 January 1990.[1] The Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian Parliament, passed legislation authorising the revival of the Legislative Council as per the resolution of the state Vidhan Sabha on 28 May 1990, but the legislation stalled in the lower house, the Lok Sabha, primarily due to its dissolution in 1991 before the completion of its five-year term.[1] The subsequent Lok Sabhas (1991–1996, 1996–1998, 1998–2004) did not take any further action.

After its victory in the 2004 state elections, the Congress-led Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed another resolution on 8 July 2004 calling for the revival of the Legislative Council.[1] This time it was introduced in the Lok Sabha as the Andhra Pradesh Council Bill on 16 December 2004. On 15 December 2006 the Lok Sabha passed the legislation, which was quickly passed by the Rajya Sabha on 20 December, and received the assent of the President on 10 January 2007.[1] The newly revived Legislative Council was constituted on 30 March 2007 and inaugurated on 2 April by Rameshwar Thakur, the Governor of Andhra Pradesh.[1]

Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly made and passed the resolution for abolition of the Legislative Council on 27 Jan 2020.

Keys:   TDP (10)   YSRCP (8)   BJP (1)   Vacant (1)

  TDP (14)   YSRCP (1)   BJP (1)   Independent (1)   Vacant (3)

  PDF (3)   YSRCP (1)   BJP (1)

  PDF (2)   Independent (3)

  TDP (4)   YSRCP (2)   Vacant (2)