# 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

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

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 bye-election is held when the seat-holder of a particular constituency dies, resigns, or is disqualified.

## Rajya Sabha elections

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.

## 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 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.
Lok Sabha election results :
| 6th Lok Sabha (1977) | 7th Lok Sabha (1980) | 8th Lok Sabha (1984) | 9th Lok Sabha (1989) | 10th Lok Sabha (1991) | 11th Lok Sabha (1996) | 12th Lok Sabha (1998) | 13th Lok Sabha (1999) | 14th Lok Sabha (2004) | 15th Lok Sabha (2009) | 16th Lok Sabha (2014) | 17th Lok Sabha (2019) | 18th Lok Sabha (2024) |

### History of Lok Sabha elections

LOK SABHA ELECTIONS :
| Lok Sabha (Election) | Total Seats | First | First | First | First | Second | Second | Second | Second | Third | Third | Third | Third |
| Lok Sabha (Election) | Total Seats | Political party | Political party | Seats | Percentage of votes | Political party | Political party | Seats | Percentage of votes | Political party | 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

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

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS :
| Assembly (Election) | Total Seats | First | First | First | First | Second | Second | Second | Second | Third | Third | Third | Third |
| Assembly (Election) | Total Seats | Political party | Political party | Seats | Percentage of votes | Political party | Political party | Seats | Percentage of votes | Political party | 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

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).