The angular dependence of emission intensity of L shell X-rays induced by 59.57 keV photons in Pb and U is investigated by measuring the normalized intensities of the resolved L X-ray peaks at different angles varying from 40° to 120°. It is observed that while L_l and L_α X-ray peaks (originating fromJ = 3/2 state) show some anisotropic angular distribution, the emission of L_β and L_γ X-ray peaks is isotropic. The present results contradict the calculations of Co-oper and Zare (1969) that after photoionization of inner shell, the vacancy state has equal population of magnetic substates and the subsequent X-ray emission is isotropic but confirm the predictions of Fluggeet al (1972) that the atomic inner shell vacancies produced after photoionization are aligned and the x-ray emission from the filling of vacancies in state withJ ⩾ 3/2 is anisotropic.