Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)

In the Indian system of government, a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is a representative chosen by the people of an electoral district (constituency) to the legislative of the state government, which is known as the legislature of the state. The inhabitants of each constituency elect one representative, who is subsequently elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly by the rest of the state (MLA). The number of Members of Parliament (MPs) that each state has in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's bicameral parliament, varies between seven and nine for every MP that the state possesses. The Union Territories also have representatives in three unicameral legislatures: the Delhi Legislative Assembly, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, and the Puducherry Legislative Assembly, among others. Only a member of the Legislative Assembly is permitted to serve as a minister for a period exceeding six months. Upon appointment as Chief Minister or Minister by the Governor, a non-member of the Legislative Assembly is required to become a member of the Assembly within six months in order to remain in his or her position. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly is a position that can only be filled by a member of the Legislative Assembly.