Elections in Tamil Nadu
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Politics of Tamil Nadu |
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Tamil Nadu has a parliamentary system as defined by its constitution, with power distributed between the state government and the districts.
The
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 Election Commission of India (ECI) is responsible for monitoring and administering the elections for Lok Sabha (the Lower house) and Rajya Sabha (the Upper house) of the Parliament, and Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The Chief Electoral Officer of Tamil Nadu, an IAS officer appointed by the ECI, 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 self-government institutions 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 seat-holder of a particular constituency dies, resigns, or is disqualified.
Rajya Sabha elections
Lok Sabha elections
History of Lok Sabha elections
Colour key for parties |
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Indian National Congress (Indira) Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) |
Legislative Assembly elections
History of Legislative Assembly elections
Colour key for parties |
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Indian National Congress (Indira) Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) |
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 by-polls.
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
References
- ^ "Rajya Sabha Election 2017: Here Is How Members Are Elected To Upper House". NDTV.com. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ "Terms of the Houses". Election Commission of India. Retrieved 5 April 2021.