The correct option is (a) 1 only.
Explanation
The Constitution of India, under Part VI, establishes the framework for State Legislatures. Article 168 mandates the existence of a Legislature for every State, while Article 170 governs the composition and territorial division of Legislative Assemblies based on population demographics.
Statement-wise Analysis:
- Statement 1 is Correct: According to Article 168, every State in India must have a Legislature. This Legislature consists of the Governor and either one or two Houses. In all cases, the Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) is the mandatory popular house. While the Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) is optional and exists only in select states, the Legislative Assembly exists in every State.
- Statement 2 is Incorrect: The number of legislative constituencies is not equal across all states. Article 170 stipulates that the Legislative Assembly of each State shall consist of members chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies. The number of seats (and thus constituencies) is allocated based on the population of the State to ensure proportional representation. For instance, Uttar Pradesh has 403 constituencies, whereas Sikkim has 32.
Key Takeaway:
Every State possesses a Legislative Assembly as a constitutional mandate, but the number of constituencies within each State varies strictly according to its population size.