Polity & Administration of Bihar

🏛️ Constitutional Status

• Bihar is a state under Article 1 of the Constitution
• Has a bicameral legislature (Legislative Assembly + Legislative Council)
• Created after separation from Bengal on 22 March 1912
• Jharkhand was carved out on 15 November 2000

📝 PYQ (BPSC): Bihar became a separate province from Bengal in? → 1912

---

🏛️ Executive Structure

🔹 Governor

• Appointed by the President of India
• Acts as nominal head of the state
• Current Governor (as of 2024): Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar

🔹 Chief Minister

• Real executive authority
• Elected leader of majority party in Vidhan Sabha
• Current CM (as of 2024): Nitish Kumar
• Also heads Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA)

---

🏛️ Legislature of Bihar

🔹 Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly)

• Lower House
• Members: 243
• Term: 5 years
• Presiding Officer: Speaker

🔹 Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council)

• Upper House (per Article 169)
• Members: 75 (partially elected, nominated)
• Permanent body – 1/3rd retire every 2 years

📝 PYQ (DPSC): How many seats are there in Bihar Vidhan Sabha? → 243

---

⚖️ Judiciary in Bihar

• Patna High Court – established in 1916
• Located at: Patna
• Has jurisdiction over entire Bihar
• Appointed by the President of India

---

🏢 Administrative Divisions

• Divisions: 9
• Districts: 38
• Blocks: ~534
• Gram Panchayats: ~8,400+

🔹 Important Divisions

1. Patna
2. Tirhut (Muzaffarpur)
3. Magadh (Gaya)
4. Saran (Chhapra)
5. Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Kosi (Saharsa), Purnea, Munger

📝 PYQ (BPSC): Total number of districts in Bihar? → 38

---

🧾 Panchayati Raj System

• Based on 73rd Constitutional Amendment (1992)
• Three-tier system:
  1. Gram Panchayat
  2. Panchayat Samiti (Block)
  3. Zila Parishad (District)
• Bihar introduced PR system in 1947, before it became a national law

---

🏙️ Urban Local Bodies

• Based on 74th Constitutional Amendment (1992)
• Urban governance through:
  🔸 Municipal Corporations (Nagar Nigam)
  🔸 Municipal Councils (Nagar Parishad)
  🔸 Nagar Panchayats (for smaller towns)

---

📌 Quick Revision Points

• Bihar has a bicameral legislature – 243 MLAs, 75 MLCs
• Patna High Court = 1916
• Total districts = 38
• Governor = Nominal head; CM = Real power
• Panchayati Raj since 1947 in Bihar (first among Indian states)

---

📚 Sources Used

• Laxmikanth – Indian Polity
• Lucent GK – Bihar Polity
• Drishti Bihar Special Book
• Bihar Govt Official Portal
• Ghatna Chakra BPSC PYQs