Functioning of the 14th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly

An eventful Assembly

Note: Timeline is not to scale.

Speaker’s Chair remained vacant for over a year

In February 2021, the Speaker (Nana Patole) resigned.  The Assembly then functioned without a Speaker for over a year, with the Deputy Speaker presiding.  The Rules of Procedure of the Assembly require the Governor to notify the election of the Speaker, with voting held by secret ballot.  In practice, this is done in consultation with the Chief Minister. In December 2021, the Rules of Procedure were amended to allow voice voting to elect the Speaker.  The Governor denied permission to hold elections for the Speaker’s position during the March 2022 session.  A new Speaker (Rahul Narwekar) was elected in July 2022, after a change in government.

Assembly met for 27 days a year with sittings lasting for 7 hours on average

Note: The Assembly met between November 2019 and July 2024.  National average indicates the average sittings of 27 state Legislative Assemblies.

70% Bills passed in 5 days or less; Nine Bills referred to Committees

Note: This excludes Bills passed in the last session (June-July 2024), as data is not available.  Finance and Appropriation Bills are also excluded.

Note: NA – Not available.

Most Bills passed relate to education and local governance

• Key Bills passed by the Assembly include: (i) the Shakti Bill, 2020 which enhanced punishments for certain crimes against women and children such as rape and acid attacks, (ii) three Bills to amend the farm laws passed by the Centre (infructuous after Parliament’s repeal of the Central Acts), and (iii) a Bill to provide 10% reservation to the Maratha community in jobs and admission to educational institutions.
• 33 Bills setting up private universities, or altering provisions related to public universities were passed.  24 Bills dealing with urban local bodies (municipal corporations, municipal councils, etc.) were also passed.

20 Private Member’s Bills (PMBs) introduced in five years, none discussed

Note: Data is from November 2019 to March 2024.

Note: The term of the Assembly began in October 2019.

83% attendance in Assembly sittings; Urban Development Dept. received most questions

Note: This excludes MLAs who have been Ministers, the Speaker or Deputy Speaker.  Data is from November 2019 to March 2024.

Note: Data is from November 2019 to March 2024.

Sources: News reports; Supreme Court and Bombay High Court Case Diary; Performance Reviews, Brief Reports, and Rules of Procedure of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (http://mls.org.in/index.aspx); PRS.