Elections in Tamil Nadu

Elections in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu are conducted every five years to elect members to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and members of parliament to the Lok Sabha. There are 234 assembly constituencies and 39 Lok Sabha constituencies. The state has conducted 16 assembly elections and 18 Lok Sabha elections since independence.

The Governor of Tamil Nadu is the ceremonial head of the state. However, it is the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu who is the leader of the party or political alliance having a majority in the state elections to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The chief minister is the leader of the executive branch of the government of Tamil Nadu. The chief minister is the chief adviser to the governor of Tamil Nadu and the head of the state council of ministers.

Elections

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The Election Commission of India (ECI) is responsible for monitoring and administering the elections for the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and Lok Sabha (House of the People) of the Parliament and the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The ECI appoints the chief electoral officer of Tamil Nadu, an IAS officer who oversees state-level election matters.

The Tamil Nadu State Election Commission is the state body of Tamil Nadu that is enacted under the provisions of the constitution and is responsible for monitoring and administering the elections for local government in Tamil Nadu. This body is responsible for ensuring elections are free and fair, without any bias.

Elections ensure the conduct of members pre-elections, during elections, and post-elections is as per statutory legislation.

All election-related disputes are handled by the election commission. The Madras High Court has held that where the enacted laws are silent or make insufficient provisions to deal with a given situation in the conduct of elections, the election commission has the residuary powers under the constitution to act as appropriate.

Types of elections

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Elections in Tamil Nadu include elections for:

Rajya Sabha elections

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Members of parliament in the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) from Tamil Nadu are not directly elected by being voted upon by all adult citizens of the state but by the members of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. Candidates who win the Rajya Sabha elections are called "Members of Parliament" and hold their seats for six years. The house meets in the Rajya Sabha Chamber of the Sansad Bhavan in New Delhi on matters relating to the creation of new laws or removing or improving the existing laws that affect all citizens of India. Elections take place to elect 18 members from Tamil Nadu.[1]

Lok Sabha elections

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Members of parliament in the Lok Sabha (House of the People) from Tamil Nadu are directly elected by being voted upon by all adult citizens of the state from a set of candidates who stand in their respective constituencies. Every adult citizen of India can vote only in their constituency. Candidates who win the Lok Sabha elections are called "Members of Parliament" and hold their seats for five years or until the body is dissolved by the president of India on the advice of the council of ministers. The house meets in the Lok Sabha Chamber of the Sansad Bhavan in New Delhi on matters relating to the creation of new laws or removing or improving the existing laws that affect all citizens of India. Elections take place once every five years to elect 39 members from Tamil Nadu.[2]

History of Lok Sabha elections

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Colour key for parties
LOK SABHA ELECTIONS
Lok Sabha
(Election)
Total Seats First Second Third
Political party Seats Percentage of votes Political party Seats Percentage of votes Political party Seats Percentage of votes
1st
(1951)
75 Indian National Congress 35 36.39% Independent 15 23.15% Communist Party of India 8 8.95%
2nd
(1957)
41 Indian National Congress 31 46.52% Independent 8 39.77% Communist Party of India 2 10.06%
3rd
(1962)
41 Indian National Congress 31 45.26% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 7 18.64% Communist Party of India 2 10.24%
4th
(1967)
39 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 25 35.78% Swatantra Party 6 9.16% Communist Party of India (Marxist) 4 6.85%
5th
(1971)
39 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 23 35.25% Indian National Congress 9 12.51% Communist Party of India 4 5.43%
6th
(1977)
39 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 17 30.04% Indian National Congress 14 22.27% Indian National Congress (Organisation) 3 17.67%
7th
(1980)
39 Indian National Congress (Indira) 20 31.62% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 16 23.01% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 2 25.38%
8th
(1984)
39 Indian National Congress 25 40.51% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 12 18.36% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 2 25.90%
9th
(1989)
39 Indian National Congress 27 39.86% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 11 17.12% Communist Party of India 1 2.04%
10th
(1991)
39 Indian National Congress 28 42.57% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 11 18.10% Vacant
11th
(1996)
39 Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) 20 27.00% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 17 25.63% Communist Party of India 2 2.33%
12th
(1998)
39 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 18 25.89% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 5 20.08% Pattali Makkal Katchi 4 6.05%
13th
(1999)
39 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 12 23.13% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 10 25.68% Pattali Makkal Katchi 5 8.21%
14th
(2004)
39 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 16 24.60% Indian National Congress 10 14.40% Pattali Makkal Katchi 5 6.71%
15th
(2009)
39 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 18 25.09% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 9 22.88% Indian National Congress 8 15.03%
16th
(2014)
39 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 37 44.92% Bharatiya Janata Party 1 5.56% Pattali Makkal Katchi 1 4.51%
17th
(2019)
39 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 24 33.52% Indian National Congress 8 12.62% Communist Party of India 2 2.40%
18th
(2024)
39 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 22 26.93% Indian National Congress 9 10.67% Communist Party of India (Marxist) 2 2.52%

Legislative Assembly elections

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Members of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly are directly elected by being voted upon by all adult citizens of the state from a set of candidates who stand in their respective constituencies. Every adult citizen of India can vote only in their constituency. Candidates who win the legislative assembly elections are called "Members of the Legislative Assembly" and hold their seats for five years or until the body is dissolved by the governor of Tamil Nadu on the advice of the council of ministers. The house meets in the Assembly Chamber of the Chief Secretariat in Chennai on matters relating to the creation of new laws or removing or improving the existing laws that affect all citizens of Tamil Nadu. Elections take place once every five years to elect 234 members to the legislative assembly. The leader of the majority party or alliance takes oath as chief minister of Tamil Nadu.

Legislative Assembly election results
 
6th Assembly (1977)
 
7th Assembly (1980)
 
8th Assembly (1984)
 
9th Assembly (1989)
 
10th Assembly (1991)
 
11th Assembly (1996)
 
12th Assembly (2001)
 
13th Assembly (2006)
 
14th Assembly (2011)
 
15th Assembly (2016)
 
16th Assembly (2021)

History of Legislative Assembly elections

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Colour key for parties
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
Assembly
(Election)
Total Seats First Second Third
Political party Seats Percentage of votes Political party Seats Percentage of votes Political party Seats Percentage of votes
1st
(1952)
375 Indian National Congress 152 34.88% Communist Party of India 62 13.18% Independent 62 23.75%
2nd
(1957)
205 Indian National Congress 151 45.34% Independent 48 44.62% Communist Party of India 4 7.40%
3rd
(1962)
206 Indian National Congress 139 46.14% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 50 27.10% Swatantra Party 6 7.82%
4th
(1967)
234 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 137 40.69% Indian National Congress 51 41.10% Swatantra Party 20 5.30%
5th
(1971)
234 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 184 48.58% Indian National Congress (Organisation) 15 34.99% Communist Party of India 8 2.32%
6th
(1977)
234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 130 30.36% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 48 24.89% Indian National Congress 27 17.50%
7th
(1980)
234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 129 38.75% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 37 22.10% Indian National Congress (Indira) 31 20.92%
8th
(1984)
234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 132 37.03% Indian National Congress 61 16.28% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 24 29.34%
9th
(1989)
234 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 150 33.18% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 29 21.77% Indian National Congress 26 19.83%
10th
(1991)
234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 164 44.39% Indian National Congress 60 15.19% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 2 22.46%
11th
(1996)
234 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 173 42.07% Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) 39 9.30% Communist Party of India 8 2.12%
12th
(2001)
234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 132 31.44% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 31 30.92% Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) 23 6.73%
13th
(2006)
234 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 96 26.46% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 61 32.64% Indian National Congress 34 8.38%
14th
(2011)
234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 150 38.40% Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam 29 7.88% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 23 22.39%
15th
(2016)
234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 136 41.06% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 89 31.86% Indian National Congress 8 6.42%
16th
(2021)
234 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 133 37.70% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 66 33.29% Indian National Congress 18 4.27%

Bye-election

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When an elected candidate to either the Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, or Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly leaves the office vacant before their term ends, a bye-election is conducted to find a suitable replacement to fill the vacant position. It is often referred to as by-polls.

Common reasons for bye-elections:

  • Resignation of the sitting M.P. or an M.L.A.
  • Death of the sitting M.P. or an M.L.A.

But other reasons occur when the incumbent is disqualified for being ineligible to continue in office (criminal conviction, failure to maintain a minimum level of attendance in the office due to election irregularities found later, or when a candidate wins more than one seat and has to vacate one).

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Rajya Sabha Election 2017: Here Is How Members Are Elected To Upper House". NDTV.com. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  2. ^ "Terms of the Houses". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
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