Of the
28 states and 8 union territories (UTs) of India, all 28 states and three UTs (
Delhi,
Puducherry, and
Jammu and Kashmir) have
legislative assemblies. A person, if
qualified, may be elected as an MLA based on
universal adult suffrage by an electorate consisting of all citizens above the age of 18 of that state or UT. Those elected or appointed to a
Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) are referred to as Members of the Legislative Assembly or MLAs. Each legislative constituency of the State or UT is represented by only one MLA. As outlined in the Constitution of India, the number of legislative seats in a legislature cannot be more than 500 members and fewer than 60 members. However, with an Act of Parliament, the seats can be fewer than 60, as such is the case in the states of
Goa,
Sikkim,
Mizoram and the UT of
Puducherry. Depending on the population and other factors, each State or UT has varying numbers of MLAs, the highest being in the state of
Uttar Pradesh (403) and the least in the UT of Puducherry (30). Owing to parliamentary democracy, wherein some members of the legislature also act as the executive, some MLAs may have triple responsibilities: as an MLA, as a cabinet minister of a department and/or as a chief minister of that state. ==Malaysia==