Duration of State Legislatures
(1) Every Legislative Assembly of every State, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer and the expiration of the said period of 1 [five years] shall operate as a dissolution of the Assembly: Provided that the said period may, while a Proclamation of Emergency is in operation, be extended by Parliament by law for a period not exceeding one year at a time and not extending in any case beyond a period of six months after the Proclamation has ceased to operate. (2) The Legislative Council of a State shall not be subject to dissolution, but as nearly as possible one-third of the members thereof shall retire as soon as may be on the expiration of every second year in accordance with the provisions made in that behalf by Parliament by law.
This is an informational reference compiled from the public-domain text of the Constitution of India. For the authoritative version and latest amendments, refer to the official text published by the Government of India. For help with a real-life situation, see the Citizen Rights Guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Article 172 of the Indian Constitution say?
(1) Every Legislative Assembly of every State, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting and no longer and the expiration of the said period of 1 [five years] shall operate as a dissolution of the Assembly: Provided that the said period may, while a Proclamati…
Which Part of the Constitution contains Article 172?
Article 172 falls under Part VI — The States — of the Constitution of India.