Bengaluru: The Karnataka legislature has earned the distinction of passing the highest number of bills – 49 — in 2024, while other states could clear just 17 bills on average.Legislative research firm PRS India has released its latest report on the performance of legislatures, with Karnataka topping the table in terms of bringing in new legislation.Tamil Nadu with 45 bills and Maharashtra with 32 bills stood second and third, respectively, while Delhi hit the rock bottom passing a solitary bill in the entire calendar year.“I’m happy we were able to live up to the positive image of Karnataka in upholding the legislative discipline and being productive. There is much scope for improvement with better coordination and cooperation between the government opposition parties,” said UT Khader, speaker of legislative assembly.All state legislatures put together passed more than 500 bills. Karnataka’s performance in passage of bills and their enactment into law reflects comparatively better coordination between the government and governor, unlike Tamil Nadu and West Bengal where the government’s confrontation with Raj Bhavan seemed a regular feature.The friction in those states even led to a legal battle and Supreme Court invoking Article 142 of Constitution to set a deadline for governors to give their assent to bills passed by the respective legislature.“The process of legislation can be smooth only when the main stakeholders, including the ruling party, the opposition and the governor, work together. They should understand their responsibility as stakeholders in the legislative process and behave accordingly, setting aside politics,” said K Dwarakanath Babu, former director of Karnataka Institute of Law and Parliamentary Reform.However, strains are visible since August 2024 after Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot gave sanction to prosecute chief minister Siddaramaiah in the alleged Muda scam. This was followed by Raj Bhavan sending back as many as 12 bills, seeking clarifications and, finally, governor giving assent to a few of them.The government recently resent six bills to Raj Bhavan as they were pending with the governor for more than a year.The PRS report has noted that 22 bills were referred to the scrutiny committees across seven states.In Karnataka, only one bill — Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, 2024 — was referred to the scrutiny of the joint house committee comparing the members of legislative assembly and council. The bill vetted by the panel was passed in the legislature in March and the governor gave assent to it on April 24, following which the government enacted it.EndsGFXBills Passed in 2024No of bills passed by all states: 500Bills per state, on average: 17Bills Passed by Karnataka legislature: 49Source: PRS India