The National Consultative Assembly (), or simply Majles, was the national legislative body of Qajar and Pahlavi Iran from 1906 to 1979. It was established by the Persian Constitution of 1906. Although the 1906 Constitution established a bicameral legislature, the Majles remained the only (unicameral) legislative chamber until the 1949 Constituent Assembly, in which the Senate of Iran was formed as the upper house, making the Majles the lower house.
It was elected by universal suffrage, excluding the armed forces and convicted criminals but after 1963 including women, who could both vote and be elected.
After the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which formed the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Majles was succeeded by the Islamic Consultative Assembly, and the Senate of Iran was abolished, making it once again a unicameral legislature.
Historical composition Qajar Iran TotalSeats 1906 21 35 100 156 1909 4 28 3 36 55 126 1914 31 29 14 41 115 1921 18 35 85 138 1923 14 40 8 76 138
Pahlavi Iran Reza Shah TotalSeats 1926 136 136 1928 122 14 136 1930 136 136 1932 136 136 1935 136 136 1937 136 136 1939 136 136 1941 136 136
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi TotalSeats 1943–44 8 6 15 30 26 36 15 136 1947 25 73 36 2 136 1950 10 126 136 1952 30 49 79
TotalSeats 1954 136 1361956 36 71 20 9 1361960 50 104 46 2001961 65 75 32 28 2001963 16 140 44 2001967 31 180 5 3 2191971 37 230 1 2681975 268 268
Notes and references
Afary, Janet. The Iranian Constitutional Revolution, 1906-1911. Columbia University Press. 1996.