MLA – Member of Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), or also known as a Member of the Legislature (ML), is a delegate chosen by casting the votes which are done by the members of a constituency to the legislature or the legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction.
Out of the 29 states and 7 Union Territories of India, there is a legislature in all these 29 states and along with 2 Union Territories i.e. Delhi and Pondicherry. An individual, if he is qualified and is elected as an MLA based on all inclusive adult suffrage by an electorate comprises all citizens who have completed 18 years of their age or more than of that state or UT. In some of the states, the Governor may select and appoint 1 member to represent the communities which belong to minority community such as the Anglo-Indian community, in case he finds that minority insufficiently represented in the Legislative Assembly.