Government of West Bengal is vested with most of the executive powers. Kolkata is the capital of West Bengal, and houses the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly). The secretariat is located in Howrah, in the Nabanna building. The Calcutta High Court is located in Kolkata, which has jurisdiction over the whole of West Bengal and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The present Legislative Assembly of West Bengal is unicameral, consisting of 295 Member of the Legislative Assembly (M.L.A) including one nominated from the Anglo-Indian community. Its term is 5 years, unless sooner dissolved. On 18 January 1862, under the Indian Councils Act of 1861, a
1957 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election between the Communist Party of India, the Praja Socialist Party, the Forward Bloc, Marxist Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Socialist Party) and the United Left Front (comprising the Socialist Unity Centre of India, the Bolshevik Party of India, the Republican Party and the Democratic Vanguard). A third alliance was the United Democratic People's Front, consisting of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Hindu Mahasabha and the Revolutionary Communist Party of India. The election was won by the Indian National Congress, who got a majority of its own in the assembly. The communists became the largest opposition party. 1957 West Bengal Legislative Assembly election