J’ khand, C’garh & U’khand score lowest House sitting

25 years on, Assembly session days in three states fall short of national benchmark of 90 days raising concerns about legislative scrutiny

- VISMAY BASU @New Dethi

TWENTY-five years after they were carved out of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, respectively, the Legislative Assemblies of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand have entered a milestone year with a troubling record: some of the lowest number of sitting days.

Data compiled since their formation in 2000 shows that Chhattisgarh’s Assembly met for an average of just 29 days a year, while Jharkhand averaged only 23 sitting days--among the lowest for any state legislature in India. Uttara-khand’s records remain incomplete for long stretches, including the years 2000-2015 and 2025, making long-term assessment difficult. These figures fall far short of the recommended national benchmark of 60 sitting days for state legislatures, raising concerns about legislative scrutiny and democratic engagement.