Total number of seats in Legislative Assemblies and Assembly Constituencies
Section 7 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950 deals with total number of seats in Legislative Assemblies and Assembly Constituencies. [Subject to the provisions of [sub-sections (1A), (1B) and (1C)], the total number of seats] in the Legislative Assembly of each State specified in the Second Schedule, to be filled by persons chosen by direct election from Assembly Constituencies, and the number of seats, if any, to be reserved for The Act came into force on 12 May 1950.
1[7. Total number of seats in the Legislative Assemblies and Assembly Constituencies.--(1) 2[Subject to the provisions of 3[sub-sections (1A), (1B) and (1C)], the total number of seats] in the Legislative Assembly of each State specified in the Second Schedule, to be filled by persons chosen by direct election from Assembly Constituencies, and the number of seats, if any, to be reserved for the Scheduled Castes and for the Scheduled Tribes of the State, shall be as shown in that Schedule:
Provided that for the period referred to in clause (2) of article 371A, the total number of seats allotted to the Legislative Assembly of the State of Nagaland shall be 4[fifty-two], of which--
(a) 5[twelve seats] shall be allocated to the Tuensang district and shall be filled by persons persons chosen by the members of the regional council, referred to in that article, from amongst themselves in such manner as the Governor, after consulting that Council may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify, and
(b) the remaining forty seats shall be filled by persons chosen by direct election from assembly constituencies in the rest of the State.
6[(1A) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the total number of seats in the the Legislative Assembly of the State of Sikkim, to be constituted at any time after the commencement of the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 1980 (8 of 1980), to be filled by persons chosen by direct election from assembly constituencies shall be thirty-two, of which--
(a) twelve seats shall be reserved for Sikkimese of Bhutia-Lepcha origin;
(b) two seats shall be reserved for the Scheduled Castes of that State; and
(c) one seat shall be reserved for the Sanghas referred to in section 25A.
Explanation.--In this sub-section Bhutia includes Chumbipa, Dopthapa, Dukpa, Kagatey, Sherpa, Tibetan, Tromopa and Yolmo.]
7[(1B) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), in the Legislative Assemblies of the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Nagaland, to be constituted at any time after the commencement of the Representation of the People (Third Amendment) Act, 1987 (40 of 1987),--
(a) 8[fifty-nine seats] shall be reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Arunachal Pradesh;
(b) fifty-five seats shall be reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Meghalaya;
(c) thirty-nine seats shall be reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Mizoram; and
(d) fifty-nine seats shall be reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Nagaland.]
9[(1C) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), twenty seats shall be reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in the Legislative Assembly of the State of Tripura to be constituted at any time after the commencement of the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act, 1992 (38 of 1992).]
(2) Every assembly constituency referred to 10[in sub-section (1) or sub-section (1A)] shall be a single-member constituency.
11(3) The extent of each assembly constituency in all the States and Union Territories except the assembly constituencies in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Manipur and Nagaland shall be as determined by the orders of the Delimitation Commission made under the provisions of the Delimitation Act, 2002 (33 of 2002) and the extent of each assembly constituency in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Manipur and Nagaland shall be as provided for in the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008 having regard to the provisions of sections 10A and 10B of the Delimitation Act, 2002 (33 of 2002).]
Section 7, The Representation of the People Act, 1950 (Act 43 of 1950).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
This section refers to
Questions about Section 7
What does Section 7 of the Representation of the People Act deal with?
Section 7 of the Representation of the People Act is headed "Total number of seats in Legislative Assemblies and Assembly Constituencies". [7. Total number of seats in the Legislative Assemblies and Assembly Constituencies.--(1) [Subject to the provisions of [sub-sections (1A), (1B) and (1C)], the total number of seats] in the Legislative Assembly of each State specified in the Second Schedule, to be filled by persons chosen by direct
How do I find court cases under Section 7 of the Representation of the People Act?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Representation of the People Act 7, section 7 Representation of the People Act, section 7 of the Representation of the People Act. People searching for it also type section 123 7 of the representation of the people act 1951. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.
What should I read with Section 7 of the Representation of the People Act, and has it changed?
Its own text turns on Delimitation Act 10A (Deferment of delimitation in certain cases), Delimitation Act 10B (Delimitation Commission's order with respect to the State of Jharkhand not to have any legal effect), section 25A (Conditions of registration as elector in Sangha constituency in Sikkim), so none of them can safely be read on its own. 2 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it.
When did Section 7 of the Representation of the People Act come into force?
Section 7 of the Representation of the People Act, cited as Representation of the People Act 7, came into force on 12 May 1950, having been enacted on 12 May 1950. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
- 8A. Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly constituencies in the States of Arunachal Pardesh, Assam, Manipur or Nagaland577 words
- 27. Preparation of electoral rolls for Council Constituencies559 words
- 20. Meaning of “ordinarily resident”551 words
- 23. Inclusion of names in electoral rolls462 words
- 8. Consolidation of delimitation orders403 words
- 28. Power to make rules401 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 14 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.