Karnataka is one of six Indian states with a bicameral legislature; the Legislative Assembly is the lower house.

With the intent of creating a body composed of a certain number of non-official persons with practical experience and knowledge of local conditions to assist the government in making laws and regulations, the Mysore Legislative Council was established by Regulation I of 1907, in the reign of Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV.

[1] In 1914, the Council was empowered to discuss the state budget, and in 1923 it was given power to vote on the demands for grants.

The Karnataka Legislative Council is a permanent body with one-third of its members retiring every two years.

Members of Legislative Council (MLCs) serve six-year terms, with no limit on reelections.