Polity of Rajasthan (Mains level)

Rajasthan Assembly — numerical facts

This table covers the numerical facts most frequently asked in REET Mains.

The roles of the governor, chief minister and speaker

The governor is Rajasthan's constitutional head — summoning assembly sessions, proroguing them, dissolving the assembly, addressing the house, and withholding or reserving a bill for the president's consideration are among the governor's key powers. The chief minister is the government's real head, the executive chief, and must maintain a majority in the assembly — the governor usually appoints the leader of the majority party as chief minister. The speaker is elected by the members of the house, presides over sessions, decides on the admissibility of bills, and casts the deciding vote in case of a tie — removing the speaker requires at least 14 days' prior notice.

Other constitutional and administrative facts

Rajasthan High Court

Principal bench at Jodhpur, established 1949, with an additional bench at Jaipur.

Lok Sabha seats

Rajasthan elects 25 MPs to the Lok Sabha.

Rajya Sabha seats

Rajasthan is represented by 10 members in the Rajya Sabha.

Start of panchayati raj

Rajasthan was the first state in India where the panchayati raj system was introduced — it was inaugurated on 2 October 1959 in Nagaur district by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Three-tier panchayati raj structure

Gram Panchayat (village level) → Panchayat Samiti (block/tehsil level) → Zila Parishad (district level)

Local bodies and state commissions

Alongside rural local self-government, panchayati raj, Rajasthan also has a three-tier urban local body system — a Municipal Corporation in larger cities, a Municipal Council in medium-sized towns, and a Municipal Board or Committee in smaller towns. The constitutional responsibility for holding regular, free and fair elections to all these local bodies, both rural and urban, lies with the State Election Commission, an independent constitutional body that must be understood as separate from the Election Commission of India, which conducts the state's general assembly and Lok Sabha elections. This is a common point of confusion.

In addition, the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC), based in Ajmer, conducts recruitment exams for state-level administrative and other services, such as RAS, while RSSB, the Subordinate and Ministerial Services Selection Board, handles subordinate and ministerial-level recruitment, such as REET Mains — this distinction between the two institutions' roles needs to be understood clearly for the exam.

The number of districts: a fact that keeps changing

The number of districts in Rajasthan has changed more than once in recent years, so treating it as a fixed fact to memorise is risky. For a long time, the state had 33 districts. In August 2023, the then government announced new districts, taking the total up to 50. Then, in December 2024, the new government merged or abolished several of these newly formed districts, 9 out of 17, bringing the total down to 41. Since this kind of administrative reorganisation could happen again, check the latest number through the Rajasthan government's official notification right before your REET Mains exam — we are not presenting any single number here as a fixed claim.

The legislative process — in brief

For an ordinary bill to become law, it must pass the assembly and then receive the governor's assent — the governor can give assent, return the bill for reconsideration, except for a money bill, or reserve it for the president's consideration. A money bill has a special provision: it is only treated as a money bill once certified by the speaker, and the governor cannot return it — only assent or reservation for the president is possible. The council of ministers is collectively responsible to the assembly — meaning if a no-confidence motion passes in the assembly, the entire council of ministers must resign, not just one minister.

Why this matters for REET Mains

The most frequently asked fact in the polity topic is 'where was panchayati raj first introduced in India' — the answer is Rajasthan, Nagaur, 2 October 1959. Never confuse this with Andhra Pradesh or any other state — some sources mention both Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh as the first two states to implement it in 1959, but Rajasthan is generally regarded as the very first. The second common mix-up is flipping the assembly seats, 200, and the reserved-seat figures, SC-34, ST-25.

Practice questions

Frequently asked questions

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