The Bihar Legislative Assembly, which is soon to conclude its term, convened for a remarkably brief 146 days—the lowest duration recorded across all its five-year tenures, according to a legislative think tank.
During its 17th term, the Assembly averaged only 29 sitting days annually, with each session lasting approximately three hours. This contrasts sharply with the national average for state assemblies in 2024, which saw houses deliberating for about five hours on their sitting days, as highlighted by PRS Legislative’s analysis.
With the upcoming elections, Bihar is set to cast its votes in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results expected on November 14.
The analysis further revealed that the 17th Assembly managed to pass 78 bills. A significant detail is that every single one of these laws was enacted on the very day it was introduced, bypassing any referral to committees for in-depth discussion or review.
Bills concerning education, finance and taxation, and general administration constituted the bulk of the legislation passed during this period.
Notable among these legislative actions were the Bihar Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2024, the Bihar Control of Crimes Bill, 2024, and the Platform Based Gig Workers (Registration, Safety and Welfare) Bill, 2025.
However, not all legislative efforts were successful. In 2023, two bills aimed at increasing reservations in government jobs and educational institutions were passed but subsequently overturned by the Patna High Court in June 2024.
Beyond the routine annual budget discussions, lawmakers also dedicated time to review the expenditures of key ministries throughout their term.
Over its five-year span since 2020, the Assembly spent an average of just nine days discussing ministerial expenditures.