India’s state legislatures passed more than 600 Bills in 2025, with nearly one-third of them cleared on the same day they were introduced, highlighting a growing trend of expedited lawmaking across the country, according to the PRS Annual Review of State Laws 2025.

The report found that state assemblies collectively passed over 600 Bills during the year, a notable increase from around 500 Bills passed in 2024. Of these, nearly 30% were approved on the very day they were tabled, raising concerns about the level of legislative scrutiny and debate before laws are enacted.

The trend mirrors concerns often raised about hurried legislative processes in Parliament. Karnataka recorded the highest number of Bills passed, clearing 84 Bills in just 34 sitting days. The state legislature passed 17 Bills in one sitting and another 12 in a separate sitting. Assam, meanwhile, approved 60 Bills in only 21 sitting days, including 14 Bills passed during a single sitting.

Several legislatures moved legislation through with remarkable speed. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Puducherry and Punjab passed every Bill either on the day it was introduced or the following day. The PRS review covered 27 states as well as the Union Territories of Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir.

The report also noted that many state assemblies met only for the minimum duration necessary to comply with constitutional requirements. Under the Constitution, no more than six months may elapse between two sittings of a legislature. While all states met this requirement in 2025, the report observed that “this was achieved with states meeting just enough to meet this requirement”.

In Assam, a one-day session was convened in June between the March and November sessions. Gujarat met for only three days in September after adjourning in March. Rajasthan recorded a gap of five months and eight days between sessions, while Meghalaya’s interval stretched to five months and 26 days.

On average, state legislatures sat for 24 days during the year, ranging from just seven days in Nagaland to 43 days in Odisha. Although some states have prescribed minimum annual sitting-day targets, only Himachal Pradesh came close, while no state fully achieved its benchmark.

The Bills enacted during the year covered a wide range of subjects including taxation, education, local governance and urban development. Several states created new urban development authorities, while others introduced regulations for coaching centres and educational institutions.

According to PRS, 66% of the Bills received gubernatorial assent within one month of passage, while 94% were approved within three months.

The report also highlighted institutional concerns. The office of Deputy Speaker remained vacant in eight state assemblies and in the Lok Sabha as of May 2026. Jharkhand, notably, has functioned for more than 21 years without appointing a Deputy Speaker despite Article 178 of the Constitution mandating the position in every legislative assembly.

Among the more significant legislative developments, 13 states amended their Shops and Establishments Acts, largely to permit women to work night shifts. Bihar, Karnataka and Jharkhand enacted laws extending social security benefits to gig workers.

Some legislation drew attention for its unusual provisions. Haryana criminalised the use of dead bodies during protests, Assam legalised buffalo fights and Kerala permitted cattle racing. Mizoram enacted a law banning beggary. Assam also passed legislation prohibiting polygamy for all communities except Scheduled Tribes, prescribing a punishment of up to seven years' imprisonment, and reserved 25% of seats in private universities for students from the state.

The findings suggest that while legislative productivity increased significantly in 2025, questions remain about the adequacy of debate, scrutiny and institutional safeguards in the lawmaking process across India’s states.