Elections in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu has a parliamentary system as defined by its constitution, with power distributed between the state government and the districts.

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 in 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 17 Lok Sabha elections since independence.

Elections

The Tamil Nadu State Election Commission is the federal body of Tamil Nadu that is enacted under the provisions of the Constitution and is responsible for monitoring and administering all the electoral processes 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

Elections in Tamil Nadu include elections for:

• Members of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House)
• Members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha (Lower House)
• Members of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
• Members of local governance bodies (municipal bodies and panchayats)
• A by-election is held when the seatholder of a particular constituent dies, resigns, or is disqualified.

Rajya Sabha elections

Members of parliament in the Rajya Sabha (House of the State) 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.

Lok Sabha elections

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 Tamil Nadu 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.

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Lok Sabha election results

6th Lok Sabha (1977)

File:1980 tamil nadu lok sabha election map.png 7th Lok Sabha (1980)

File:1984 tamil nadu lok sabha election map.png 8th Lok Sabha (1984)

File:1989 tamil nadu lok sabha election map.png 9th Lok Sabha (1989)

File:1991 tamil nadu lok sabha election map.png 10th Lok Sabha (1991)

File:1996 tamil nadu lok sabha election map.png 11th Lok Sabha (1996)

File:1998 tamil nadu lok sabha election map.png 12th Lok Sabha (1998)

File:1999 tamil nadu lok sabha election map.png 13th Lok Sabha (1999)

File:2004 tamil nadu lok sabha election map.png 14th Lok Sabha (2004)

File:2009 tamil nadu lok sabha election map.png 15th Lok Sabha (2009)

File:2014 Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha result by constituency.PNG 16th Lok Sabha (2014)

File:2019 Tamil Nadu Lok Sabha result by constituency.svg 17th Lok Sabha (2019) History of Lok Sabha elections Colour key for parties Template:Div col LOK SABHA ELECTIONS Lok Sabha Template:Small Total Seats First Second Third Political party Seats Percentage of votes Political party Seats Percentage of votes Political party Seats Percentage of votes 1st Template:Small 75 Indian National Congress rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 35 36.39% Independent rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 15 23.15% Communist Party of India rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 8 8.95% 2nd Template:Small 41 Indian National Congress 31 46.52% Independent 8 39.77% Communist Party of India 2 10.06% 3rd Template:Small 41 Indian National Congress 31 45.26% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 7 18.64% Communist Party of India 2 10.24% 4th Template:Small 39 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 25 35.78% Swatantra Party style="background:Template:Party color;"| 6 9.16% Communist Party of India (Marxist) style="background:Template:Party color;"| 4 6.85% 5th Template:Small 39 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 23 35.25% Indian National Congress rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 9 12.51% Communist Party of India style="background:Template:Party color;"| 4 5.43% 6th Template:Small 39 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 17 30.04% Indian National Congress 14 22.27% Indian National Congress (Organisation) style="background:Template:Party color;"| 3 17.67% 7th Template:Small 39 Indian National Congress (Indira) style="background:Template:Party color;"| 20 31.62% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 16 23.01% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 2 25.38% 8th Template:Small 39 Indian National Congress rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 25 40.51% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 12 18.36% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 2 25.90% 9th Template:Small 39 Indian National Congress 27 39.86% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 11 17.12% Communist Party of India style="background:Template:Party color;"| 1 2.04% 10th Template:Small 39 Indian National Congress 28 42.57% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 11 18.10% Vacant – – 11th Template:Small 39 Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) style="background:Template:Party color;"| 20 27.00% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 17 25.63% Communist Party of India style="background:Template:Party color;"| 2 2.33% 12th Template:Small 39 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 18 25.89% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 5 20.08% Pattali Makkal Katchi rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 4 6.05% 13th Template:Small 39 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 12 23.13% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 10 25.68% Pattali Makkal Katchi 5 8.21% 14th Template:Small 39 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 16 24.60% Indian National Congress style="background:Template:Party color;"| 10 14.40% Pattali Makkal Katchi 5 6.71% 15th Template:Small 39 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 18 25.09% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 9 22.88% Indian National Congress style="background:Template:Party color;"| 8 15.03% 16th Template:Small 39 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 37 44.92% Bharatiya Janata Party style="background:Template:Party color;"| 1 5.56% Pattali Makkal Katchi style="background:Template:Party color;"| 1 4.49% 17th Template:Small 39 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 24 33.52% Indian National Congress style="background:Template:Party color;"| 8 12.62% Communist Party of India style="background:Template:Party color;"| 2 2.40% Legislative Assembly elections 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 Tamil Nadu 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. Template:Scrolling table/mid Legislative Assembly election results File:1977 tamil nadu legislative election map.png 6th Assembly (1977) File:1980 tamil nadu legislative election map.png 7th Assembly (1980) File:1984 tamil nadu legislative election map.png 8th Assembly (1984) File:1989 tamil nadu legislative election map.png 9th Assembly (1989) File:1991 tamil nadu legislative election map.png 10th Assembly (1991) File:1996 tamil nadu legislative election map.png 11th Assembly (1996) File:2001 tamil nadu legislative election map.png 12th Assembly (2001) File:2006 tamil nadu legislative election map.jpg 13th Assembly (2006) File:2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Election Map by Parties.svg 14th Assembly (2011) File:Tamil Nadu assembly election 2016 results.png 15th Assembly (2016) File:2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election result.png 16th Assembly (2021) History of Legislative Assembly elections Colour key for parties Template:Div col LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS Assembly Template:Small Total Seats First Second Third Political party Seats Percentage of votes Political party Seats Percentage of votes Political party Seats Percentage of votes 1st Template:Small 375 Indian National Congress rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 152 34.88% Communist Party of India style="background:Template:Party color;"| 62 13.18% Independent style="background:Template:Party color;"| 62 23.75% 2nd Template:Small 205 Indian National Congress 151 45.34% Independent style="background:Template:Party color;"| 48 44.62% Communist Party of India style="background:Template:Party color;"| 4 7.40% 3rd Template:Small 206 Indian National Congress 139 46.14% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 50 27.10% Swatantra Party rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 6 7.82% 4th Template:Small 234 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 137 40.69% Indian National Congress style="background:Template:Party color;"| 51 41.10% Swatantra Party 20 5.30% 5th Template:Small 234 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 184 48.58% Indian National Congress (Organisation) style="background:Template:Party color;"| 15 34.99% Communist Party of India style="background:Template:Party color;"| 8 2.32% 6th Template:Small 234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 130 30.36% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 48 24.89% Indian National Congress style="background:Template:Party color;"| 27 17.50% 7th Template:Small 234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 129 38.75% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 37 22.10% Indian National Congress (Indira) style="background:Template:Party color;"| 31 20.92% 8th Template:Small 234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 132 37.03% Indian National Congress style="background:Template:Party color;"| 61 16.28% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 24 29.34% 9th Template:Small 234 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 150 33.18% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 29 21.77% Indian National Congress style="background:Template:Party color;"| 26 19.83% 10th Template:Small 234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 164 44.39% Indian National Congress style="background:Template:Party color;"| 60 15.19% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 2 22.46% 11th Template:Small 234 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 173 42.07% Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) style="background:Template:Party color;"| 39 9.30% Communist Party of India style="background:Template:Party color;"| 8 2.12% 12th Template:Small 234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 132 31.44% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 31 30.92% Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) style="background:Template:Party color;"| 23 6.73% 13th Template:Small 234 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 96 26.46% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 61 32.64% Indian National Congress style="background:Template:Party color;"| 34 8.38% 14th Template:Small 234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 150 38.40% Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 29 7.88% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 23 22.39% 15th Template:Small 234 All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 135 40.77% Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 88 31.64% Indian National Congress rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color;"| 8 6.42% 16th Template:Small 234 Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 133 37.70% All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam style="background:Template:Party color;"| 66 33.29% Indian National Congress 18 4.27% By-election 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 by-election is conducted to find a suitable replacement to fill the vacant position. It is often referred to as bypolls. Common reasons for by-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 Government of Tamil Nadu Local Body Election in Tamil Nadu Notes References External links Tamilnadu Election Polls 2016 Election Commission of India Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Indian Elections Tamil Nadu Assembly Election 2011