Elections
Who conducts elections in India, from the Lok Sabha to panchayats. Official dates stay with the election authority.
Legislative Assembly. Voters directly elect MLAs from territorial constituencies. The party or coalition commanding a majority in the Assembly usually forms the government. The Chief Minister is normally the leader chosen by that majority. The normal Assembly term is five years, unless the House is dissolved earlier.
Legislative Council. Only some states have a second chamber, called the Legislative Council or Vidhan Parishad. As of 2026 these states are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. The Council is a permanent House. It is not dissolved, and roughly one-third of its members retire every two years.
Municipal Corporation. Usually used for large cities, such as Mumbai. The elected body makes decisions on local services and development. The mayor may be elected directly by voters or indirectly by the councillors, depending on the state. The municipal commissioner is generally an appointed administrative officer.
Municipal Council. Usually used for smaller cities and towns. The council handles functions such as roads, sanitation, water supply, local planning and public health. The chairperson or president may be directly or indirectly elected, depending on state law.
Nagar Panchayat. Designed for an area transitioning from rural to urban. It has fewer responsibilities and a smaller administrative structure than a municipal corporation.
Gram Panchayat. The village-level body. In some states the head is directly elected. In others, the elected members choose the head.
Panchayat Samiti. The intermediate level between village and district. It coordinates development activities across several Gram Panchayats.
Zila Parishad. The district-level rural body. It coordinates larger district-level development programmes.
PESA-area local elections. Held under the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996. A Gram Sabha is not an elected body. It consists of all registered voters in the village or group of villages covered by a Gram Panchayat.