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Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly

Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly

Tamilnāṭu Saṭṭamaṉṟap Pēravai
17th Tamil Nadu Assembly
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Term limits
5 years
History
Founded1 April 1957
(69 years ago)
 (1957-04-01)
Leadership
J. C. D. Prabhakar, TVK
since 12 May 2026
M. Ravisankar, TVK
since 12 May 2026
C. Joseph Vijay, TVK
since 10 May 2026
K. A. Sengottaiyan, TVK
since 11 May 2026[1]
R. Sabarinathan,TVK
since 10 May 2026
Udhayanidhi Stalin, DMK
since 10 May 2026
Secretary
R. Santhi
since 4 June 2026
Structure
Seats234
Political groups
Government (121)

  TVK+ (116)

Confidence and supply (5)

Official Opposition (60)
  SPA (60)

Other Opposition (47)
  AIADMK+ (47)

Vacant (6)

Elections
First past the post
First election
27 March 1952
Last election
23 April 2026
Next election
2031
Meeting place
13°04′47″N 80°17′14″E / 13.0796°N 80.2873°E / 13.0796; 80.2873
Chief Secretariat of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Website
tnla.neva.gov.in
assembly.tn.gov.in
tnlasdigital.tn.gov.in/jspui

The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It has a strength of 234 members, all of whom are democratically elected using the first-past-the-post system. The presiding officer of the assembly is the Speaker. The term of the assembly is five years, unless dissolved earlier.

Since Tamil Nadu has a unicameral legislature, the terms Tamil Nadu Legislature and Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly are almost synonymous and are often confused, though they are not the same. The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, along with the governor of Tamil Nadu, constitutes the legislature.

The present state of Tamil Nadu is a residuary part of the erstwhile Madras Presidency and was formerly known as Madras State. The first legislature of any sort for the Presidency was the Madras Legislative Council, which was set up as a non-representative advisory body in 1861. In 1919, direct elections were introduced with the introduction of diarchy under the Government of India Act 1919. Between 1920 and 1937, the Legislative Council was a unicameral legislature for the Madras Presidency. The Government of India Act 1935 abolished diarchy and created a bicameral legislature in the Madras Presidency. The Legislative Assembly became the Lower House of the Presidency.

After the Republic of India was established in 1950, the Madras Presidency became the Madras State, and the bicameral setup continued. The Madras State's assembly strength was 375, and the first assembly was constituted in 1952. The current state was formed in 1956 after the reorganisation of states, and the strength of the assembly was reduced to 206. Its strength was increased to the present 234 in 1965. Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu in 1969, and subsequently, the assembly came to be called the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Council was abolished in 1986, making the legislature a unicameral body and the assembly its sole chamber.

The present Seventeenth Legislative Assembly was constituted in May 2026. It was constituted after the 2026 assembly election, which resulted in a Hung Assembly for the first time in the state's history, with no pre-poll alliance getting a majority. TVK became the single largest party in the assembly in their first contested election.

History

[edit]

Origin

[edit]

The first legislature of any kind to be established in Madras was the Madras Legislative Council in 1861. First established as a non-representative advisory body, it saw the introduction of elected members in 1892. The Indian Councils Act 1909 (popularly called the "Minto-Morley Reforms") officially introduced indirect election of members to the council. In 1919, direct elections were introduced with the introduction of diarchy under the Government of India Act 1919. Between 1920 and 1937, the Legislative Council was a unicameral legislature for the Madras Presidency. The Government of India Act 1935 abolished diarchy and created a bicameral legislature in Madras province. The Legislature consisted of the Governor and two legislative bodies: a Legislative Assembly and a Legislative Council. The Assembly was the lower house and consisted of 215 members, who were further classified into general members and reserved members representing special communities and interests:[5][6]

Reservation Number of members
Unreserved 116
Scheduled Castes 30
Muslims 28
Christians 8
Women 8
Landholders 6
Commerce and Industry 6
Labour and Trade Unions 6
Europeans 3
Anglo-Indians 2
University 1
Tribal 1
Total 215

The presiding officer of the Assembly was called the Speaker of the Assembly.

Madras Presidency

[edit]
First Assembly of the Madras Presidency meeting in the Senate House, University of Madras (1937)

The first legislative assembly election in the presidency was held in February 1937. The Indian National Congress obtained a majority by winning 159 of 215 seats. C. Rajagopalachari became the first elected chief minister of the Presidency under the provincial autonomy system guaranteed by the Government of India Act 1935. The first assembly was constituted in July 1937. Bulusu Sambamurti and A. Rukmani Lakshmipathi were elected as the Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.[7]

The first assembly lasted its term until February 1943, but the Congress cabinet resigned in October 1939, protesting India's participation in World War II. From 1939 to 1946, Madras was under the direct rule of the governor and no elections were held in 1943 when the assembly's term expired. Next elections were held only in 1946, when a political compromise was reached between the Congress and viceroy Lord Wavell.[8][9][10] The second assembly of the presidency was constituted in April 1946 and J. Shivashanmugam Pillai was elected as the speaker. The Congress won an absolute majority in the elections and again formed the Government.[10] On 15 August 1947, India became independent and the new Indian Constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950. Madras Presidency became Madras State and the existing assembly and government were retained till new elections could be held in 1951.[11]

Republic of India

[edit]
Governor's Address to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly at Fort St. George

In the Republic of India, the Madras State Legislative Assembly continued to be the lower house in a bicameral legislature. The first election to the assembly on the basis of universal adult suffrage was held in January 1952. According to the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies (Madras) Order, 1951, made by the President under sections 6 and 9 of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, the assembly's strength was 375 members elected from 309 constituencies. Out of the 309 constituencies in the undivided Madras State, 66 were two member constituencies, 62 of which had one seat reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates and 4 for Scheduled Tribe candidates.[12][13] The two member constituencies were established in accordance to Article 332 of the Indian Constitution. The voting method and the plurality electoral formula were defined in The Representation of People Act, 1950.[14] These constituencies were larger in size and had greater number of voters (more than 1,00,000)[15] when compared to general constituencies. Multiple members were elected only in the 1952 and 1957 elections as double member representation was abolished in 1961 by the enactment of Two-Member Constituencies Abolition Act (1961).[16] Of the 375 seats, 143 were from what later became Andhra state, 29 were from Malabar, 11 from South Canara (part of present-day Karnataka) and the remaining 190 belonged to Tamil Nadu.

On 1 October 1953, a separate Andhra State consisting of the Telugu-speaking areas of the composite Madras State was formed and the Kannada-speaking area of Bellary District was merged with the then Mysore State. This reduced the strength of the Legislative Assembly to 231. On 1 November 1956, the States Reorganisation Act took effect and consequently the constituencies in the erstwhile Malabar District were merged with the Kerala State. This further reduced the strength to 190. The Tamil-speaking area of Kerala (present day Kanyakumari district) and Sengottai taluk were added to Madras State. According to the new Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order 1956, made by the Delimitation Commission of India under the provisions of the State Reorganisation Act of 1956, the strength of the assembly was increased to 205.[12]

The 1957 elections were conducted for these 205 seats. In 1959, as result of The Andhra Pradesh and Madras (Alteration of Boundaries) Act 1959, one member from the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly was allotted to Madras increasing its Legislative Assembly strength to 206. The 1962 elections were conducted for these 206 seats. In 1965, the elected strength of the assembly was increased to 234 by the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 1965. In addition to the 234, the assembly also has one nominated member representing the Anglo-Indian community. From 1965, the number of members has remained constant. In 1969, Madras State was renamed Tamil Nadu and subsequently the assembly came to be known as the "Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly". The Legislative Council was abolished with effect from 1 November 1986 through an Act of Parliament titled as The Tamil Nadu Legislative Council (Abolition) Act, 1986. With the abolition of the council, the legislature became a unicameral body and remained so for the next 24 years. Of the fourteen assemblies that have been constituted so far, four (the sixth, seventh, ninth and tenth) have been dismissed by the Central Government using Article 356 of the Indian Constitution.[12] This State Assembly is unique because, since 1996, the actual leader of the official opposition party, though he or she is an official member of the house, has chosen mostly to sign the attendance register outside but not attend the house proceedings. M. KarunanidhiJ. Jayalalithaa, and Vijayakant conducted themselves in this manner, unless an extremely important situation happened. Once M. K. Stalin became the leader of the opposition in 2016, the leader of the opposition always came and participated fully in the House. Following the 2021 elections, the leader of the opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami, also attended the house.

Location

[edit]
Fort St. George is the current home of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
Senate House at University of Madras, where the assembly met in the 1930s
Rajaji Hall which briefly hosted the assembly in the late 1930s

The Legislative Assembly is seated at the Fort St. George, Chennai. Fort St. George has historically been the seat of the Government of Tamil Nadu since colonial times. During 1921–37, the precursor to the assembly – Madras Legislative Council, met at the council chambers within the fort. Between 14 July 1937 – 21 December 1938, the assembly met at the Senate House of the University of Madras and between 27 January 1938 – 26 October 1939 in the Banqueting Hall (later renamed as Rajaji Hall) in the Government Estate complex at Mount Road. During 1946–52, it moved back to the Fort St. George. In 1952, the strength of the assembly rose to 375, after the constitution of the first assembly, and it was briefly moved into temporary premises at the government estate complex. This move was made in March 1952, as the existing assembly building only had a seating capacity of 260. Then on 3 May 1952, it moved into the newly constructed assembly building in the same complex. The assembly functioned from the new building (later renamed as "Kalaivanar Arangam") during 1952–56. However, with the reorganisation of states and formation of Andhra, the strength came down to 190 and the assembly moved back to Fort St. George in 1956. From December 1956 till January 2010, the Fort remained the home to the assembly.[17][18][19]

The Commemorative arch inaugurated, marking the Diamond Jubilee (1952–2012) of the Legislative Assembly

In 2004, during the 12th assembly, the AIADMK Government under J. Jayalalithaa made unsuccessful attempts to shift the assembly, first to the location of Queen Mary's College and later to the Anna University campus, Guindy. Both attempts were withdrawn after public opposition.[20] During the 13th Assembly, the DMK government led by M. Karunanidhi proposed a new plan to shift the assembly and the government secretariat to a new building in the Omandurar Government Estate. In 2007, the German architectural firm GMP International won the design competition to design and construct the new assembly complex. Construction began in 2008 and was completed in 2010. The new assembly building was opened and the assembly started functioning in it from March 2010.[20][21][22][23] After AIADMK's victory in the 2011 elections, the assembly shifted back to Fort St. George.[24][25][26]

List of historical locations where the Tamil Nadu Legislature has been housed:

Duration Location
11 July 1921 – 13 July 1937 Council Chamber, Fort St. George, Chennai
14 July 1937 – 21 December 1937 Beveridge Hall, Senate House, Chennai
27 January 1938 – 26 October 1939 Multipurpose Hall, Rajaji Hall, Chennai
24 May 1946 – 27 March 1952 Council Chamber, Fort St. George, Chennai
3 May 1952 – 27 December 1956 Multipurpose Hall, Kalaivanar Arangam, Chennai
29 April 1957 – 30 March 1959 Assembly Chamber, Fort St. George, Chennai
20 April 1959 – 30 April 1959 Multipurpose Hall, Arranmore Palace, Udhagamandalam
31 August 1959 – 11 January 2010 Assembly Chamber, Fort St. George, Chennai
19 March 2010 – 10 February 2011 Assembly Chamber, Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly-Secretariat Complex, Chennai
23 May 2011 – 13 September 2020 Assembly Chamber, Fort St. George, Chennai
14 September 2020 – 13 September 2021 Multipurpose Hall, Kalaivanar Arangam, Chennai
5 January 2022 – present Assembly Chamber, Fort St. George, Chennai

List of the assemblies

[edit]
Assembly
(Election)
Ruling Party Chief Minister Deputy Chief Minister Speaker Deputy Speaker Leader of the House Leader of the Opposition
1st
(1952)
Indian National Congress C. Rajagopalachari

K. Kamaraj

Vacant J. Shivashanmugam Pillai

N. Gopala Menon

B. Baktavatsalu Naidu C. Subramaniam T. Nagi Reddy

P. Ramamurthi

2nd
(1957)
Indian National Congress K. Kamaraj Vacant U. Krishna Rao B. Baktavatsalu Naidu C. Subramaniam V. K. Ramaswami
3rd
(1962)
Indian National Congress K. Kamaraj

M. Bhakthavatsalam

Vacant S. Chellapandian K. Parthasarathi M. Bhakthavatsalam V. R. Nedunchezhiyan
4th
(1967)
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam C. N. Annadurai

V. R. Nedunchezhiyan


M. Karunanidhi

Vacant S. P. Adithanar

Pulavar K. Govindan

Pulavar K. Govindan

G. R. Edmund

V. R. Nedunchezhiyan

M. Karunanidhi


V. R. Nedunchezhiyan

P. G. Karuthiruman
5th
(1971)
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam M. Karunanidhi Vacant K. A. Mathiazhagan

Pulavar K. Govindan

P. Seenivasan

N. Ganapathy

V. R. Nedunchezhiyan Vacant[b]
6th
(1977)
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam M. G. Ramachandran Vacant Munu Adhi Su. Thirunavukkarasar Nanjil K. Manoharan M. Karunanidhi
7th
(1980)
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam M. G. Ramachandran Vacant K. Rajaram P. H. Pandian V. R. Nedunchezhiyan M. Karunanidhi
K. S. G. Haja Shareef
8th
(1984)
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam M. G. Ramachandran

V. R. Nedunchezhiyan


V. N. Janaki Ramachandran

Vacant P. H. Pandian V. P. Balasubramanian V. R. Nedunchezhiyan

R. M. Veerappan

O. Subramanian
9th
(1989)
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam M. Karunanidhi Vacant M. Tamilkudimagan V. P. Duraisamy K. Anbazhagan J. Jayalalithaa
S. R. Eradha
G. K. Moopanar
10th
(1991)
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam J. Jayalalithaa Vacant Sedapatti R. Muthiah K. Ponnusamy

S. Gandhirajan

V. R. Nedunchezhiyan S. R. Balasubramoniyan
11th
(1996)
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam M. Karunanidhi Vacant P. T. R. Palanivel Rajan Parithi Ilamvazhuthi K. Anbazhagan S. Balakrishnan
12th
(2001)
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam J. Jayalalithaa

O. Panneerselvam


J. Jayalalithaa

Vacant K. Kalimuthu A. Arunachalam C. Ponnaiyan K. Anbazhagan
13th
(2006)
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam M. Karunanidhi M. K. Stalin R. Avudaiappan V. P. Duraisamy K. Anbazhagan O. Panneerselvam

J. Jayalalithaa

14th
(2011)
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam J. Jayalalithaa

O. Panneerselvam


J. Jayalalithaa

Vacant D. Jayakumar

P. Dhanapal

P. Dhanapal

Pollachi V. Jayaraman

O. Panneerselvam

Natham R. Viswanathan


O. Panneerselvam

Vijayakant
Vacant[c]
15th
(2016)
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam J. Jayalalithaa

O. Panneerselvam


Edappadi K. Palaniswami

O. Panneerselvam P. Dhanapal Pollachi V. Jayaraman O. Panneerselvam

K. A. Sengottaiyan


O. Panneerselvam

M. K. Stalin
16th
(2021)
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam M. K. Stalin Udhayanidhi Stalin M. Appavu K. Pitchandi Duraimurugan Edappadi K. Palaniswami
17th
(2026)
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam C. Joseph Vijay Vacant J. C. D. Prabhakar M. Ravisankar K. A. Sengottaiyan Udhayanidhi Stalin
Note

In the 1952 election, no party achieved a majority in the assembly, so C. Rajagopalachari became the first and only non-elected chief minister. In the 1967 election, C. N. Annadurai was elected to the Lok Sabha and not to the assembly. He resigned as a member of parliament and was elected to the state legislative council to become chief minister.

Members of the Legislative Assembly

[edit]


Source:[27]
District No. Constituency Name Party Alliance Remarks
Tiruvallur 1 Gummidipoondi S. Vijayakumar TVK TVK+
2 Ponneri Ravi M.S
3 Tiruttani G. Hari AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
4 Thiruvallur T. Arunkumar TVK TVK+
5 Poonamallee (SC) R. Prakasam
6 Avadi R. Ramesh Kumar
Chennai 7 Maduravoyal P. Rhevanth Charan TVK TVK+
8 Ambattur G. Balamurugan
9 Madavaram M. L. Vijayprabhu
10 Thiruvottiyur N. Senthil Kumar
11 Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar N. Marie Wilson
12 Perambur C. Joseph Vijay Chief Minister
13 Kolathur V. S. Babu
14 Villivakkam Aadhav Arjuna Cabinet Minister
15 Thiru-Vi-Ka-Nagar (SC) M. R. Pallavi
16 Egmore (SC) A. Rajmohan Cabinet Minister
17 Royapuram K. V. Vijay Damu
18 Harbour P. K. Sekar Babu DMK SPA
19 Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni Udhayanidhi Stalin Leader of Opposition
20 Thousand Lights J. C. D. Prabhakar TVK TVK+ Speaker
21 Anna Nagar V. K. Ramkumar
22 Virugampakkam R. Sabarinathan Government Whip
23 Saidapet M. Arul Prakasam
24 Thiyagarayanagar Bussy N. Anand Cabinet Minister
25 Mylapore P. Venkataramanan Cabinet Minister
26 Velachery R. Kumar Cabinet Minister
27 Sholinganallur ECR Saravanan @ P. Saravananamoorthy
28 Alandur M. Harish
Kanchipuram 29 Sriperumbudur (SC) S. P. K. Tennarasu TVK TVK+
Chengalpattu 30 Pallavaram J. Kamatchi TVK TVK+
31 Tambaram D. Sarathkumar
32 Chengalpattu S. Thiyagarajan
33 Thiruporur B. Vijayaraj
34 Cheyyur (SC) E. Rajasekar AIADMK AIADMK+ Opposed TVK
35 Madurantakam (SC) Maragatham Kumaravel Supported TVK
Vacant On 25 May 2026, Maragatham Resigned her office and officially joined TVK[28]
Kanchipuram 36 Uthiramerur J. Munirathinam TVK TVK+
37 Kancheepuram R. V. Ranjithkumar
Ranipet 38 Arakkonam (SC) V. Gandhiraj TVK TVK+
39 Sholinghur G. Kapil
Vellore 40 Katpadi M. Sudhakar TVK TVK+
Ranipet 41 Ranipet Thahira TVK TVK+
42 Arcot S. M. Sukumar AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK; Later declared support for EPS[29]
Vellore 43 Vellore M. M. Vinoth Kannan TVK TVK+
44 Anaicut D. Velazhagan AIADMK AIADMK+ Opposed TVK
45 Kilvaithinankuppam (SC) E. Thenral Kumar TVK TVK+
46 Gudiyatham (SC) K. Sindhu
Tirupathur 47 Vaniyambadi Syed Farooq Basha IUML TVK+ Outside support to TVK government, joined TVK+ Alliance on 21 May 2026[30]
48 Ambur A. C. Vilwanathan DMK SPA
49 Jolarpet K. C. Veeramani AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK; Later declared support for EPS[31]
50 Tirupattur N. Thirupathi TVK TVK+
Krishnagiri 51 Uthangarai (SC) N. Elaiyaraja TVK TVK+
52 Bargur E. C. Govindarasan AIADMK AIADMK+ Opposed TVK
53 Krishnagiri P. Mukundhan TVK TVK+
54 Veppanahalli P. S. Srinivasan DMK SPA
55 Hosur P. Balakrishna Reddy AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK; Later declared support for EPS
56 Thalli T. Ramachandran CPI LDF Outside support to TVK government
Dharmapuri 57 Palacode K. P. Anbalagan AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
58 Pennagaram S. Gajendran TVK TVK+
59 Dharmapuri Sowmiya Anbumani PMK AIADMK+
60 Pappireddipatti Maragatham Vetrivel AIADMK Supported TVK
61 Harur (SC) V. Sampathkumar Opposed TVK
Tiruvannamalai 62 Chengam (SC) T. S. Velu AIADMK AIADMK+ Opposed TVK
63 Tiruvannamalai E. V. Velu DMK SPA
64 Kilpennathur S. Ramachandran AIADMK AIADMK+ Opposed TVK
65 Kalasapakkam Agri S. S. Krishnamurthy Opposed TVK
66 Polur R. Abishek TVK TVK+
67 Arani L. Jaya Sudha AIADMK AIADMK+ Opposed TVK
68 Cheyyar Mukkur N. Subramanian Opposed TVK
69 Vandavasi (SC) S. Ambethkumar DMK SPA
Viluppuram 70 Gingee A. Ganeshkumar PMK AIADMK+
71 Mailam C. Ve. Shanmugam AIADMK Supported TVK
72 Tindivanam (SC) Vanni Arasu VCK TVK+ Outside support to TVK government, joined TVK+ Alliance on 21 May 2026[32]; Cabinet Minister
73 Vanur (SC) D. Gowtham DMK SPA
74 Villupuram R. Lakshmanan
75 Vikravandi C. Sivakumar PMK AIADMK+
76 Tirukkoyilur S. Palaniswamy AIADMK Opposed TVK
Kallakurichi 77 Ulundurpet G. R. Vasanthavel DMK SPA
78 Rishivandiyam K. Karthikeyan
79 Sankarapuram R. Rakesh AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
80 Kallakurichi (SC) C. Arul Vignesh TVK TVK+
Salem 81 Gangavalli (SC) A. Nallathambi AIADMK AIADMK+ Opposed TVK
82 Attur (SC) A. P. Jayasankaran Opposed TVK
83 Yercaud (ST) P. Usharani Opposed TVK
84 Omalur R. Mani Opposed TVK
85 Mettur G. Venkatachalam Opposed TVK
86 Edappadi Edappadi K. Palaniswami Opposed TVK
87 Sankari S. Vetrivel Opposed TVK
88 Salem West S. Lakshmanan TVK TVK+
89 Salem North K. Sivakumar
90 Salem South A. Vijay Tamilan Parthiban
91 Veerapandi M. S. Palanivel
Namakkal 92 Rasipuram (SC) D. Logesh Tamilselvan TVK TVK+
93 Senthamangalam (ST) P. Chandrasekar
94 Namakkal C. S. Dileep
95 Paramathi-Velur S. Sekar AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
96 Tiruchengode K. G. Arunraj TVK TVK+ Cabinet Minister
97 Kumarapalayam C. Vijayalakshmi
Erode 98 Erode East M. Vijay Balaji TVK TVK+
99 Erode West K. K. Ananth Moghan
100 Modakkurichi D. Shanmugan
Tiruppur 101 Dharapuram (SC) P. Sathyabama AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
Vacant On 25 May 2026, P. Sathyabama resigned her office and officially joined TVK[28]
102 Kangayam N. S. N. Nataraj AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK; Later declared support for EPS[33]
Erode 103 Perundurai S. Jayakumar Supported TVK
Vacant On 25 May 2026, S. Jayakumar resigned his office and officially joined TVK[28]
104 Bhavani K. C. Karuppannan AIADMK AIADMK+ Opposed TVK
105 Anthiyur P. Haribaskar Supported TVK; Later declared support for EPS[34]
106 Gobichettipalayam K. A. Sengottaiyan TVK TVK+ Cabinet Minister
107 Bhavanisagar (SC) V. P. Tamilselvi
Nilgiris 108 Udhagamandalam M. Bhojarajan BJP AIADMK+
109 Gudalur (SC) M. Dravidamani DMK SPA
110 Coonoor M. Raju
Coimbatore 111 Mettuppalayam Sunilanand TVK TVK+
Tiruppur 112 Avanashi (SC) S. Kamali TVK TVK+
113 Tiruppur North V. Sathyabama
114 Tiruppur South S. Balamurugan
115 Palladam K. Ramkumar
Coimbatore 116 Sulur N. M. Sukumar TVK TVK+
117 Kavundampalayam Kanimozhi Santhosh
118 Coimbatore North V. Sampathkumar
119 Thondamuthur S. P. Velumani AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
120 Coimbatore South V. Senthilbalaji DMK SPA
121 Singanallur K. S. Sri Giri Prasath TVK TVK+
122 Kinathukadavu K. Vignesh
123 Pollachi K. Nithyanandhan DMK SPA
124 Valparai (SC) Kutty @ A. Sudhakar
Tiruppur 125 Udumalaipettai M. Jayakumar DMK SPA
126 Madathukulam R. Jayaramakrishnan
Dindigul 127 Palani K. Ravimanoharan AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
128 Oddanchatram R. Sakkarapani DMK SPA
129 Athoor I. Periyasamy
130 Nilakkottai (SC) R. Ayyanar TVK TVK+
131 Natham Natham R. Viswanathan AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
132 Dindigul I. P. Senthilkumar DMK SPA
133 Vedasandur T. Saminathan
Karur 134 Aravakurichi R. Elango DMK SPA
135 Karur M. R. Vijayabhaskar AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
136 Krishnarayapuram (SC) M. Sathya TVK TVK+
137 Kulithalai Suriyanur A. Chandran DMK SPA
Tiruchirappalli 138 Manapparai R. Kathiravan TVK TVK+
139 Srirangam S. Ramesh
140 Tiruchirappalli West K. N. Nehru DMK SPA
141 Tiruchirappalli East C. Joseph Vijay TVK TVK+
Vacant On 10 May 2026, Vijay resigned and retained the Perambur Assembly constituency
142 Thiruverumbur Navalpattu S. Viji TVK TVK+
143 Lalgudi Leema Rose Martin AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
144 Manachanallur S. Kathiravan DMK SPA
145 Musiri M. Vignesh TVK TVK+
146 Thuraiyur (SC) M. Ravisankar Deputy Speaker
Perambalur 147 Perambalur (SC) K. Sivakumar TVK TVK+
148 Kunnam S. S. Sivasankar DMK SPA
Ariyalur 149 Ariyalur S. Rajendran AIADMK AIADMK+ Opposed TVK
150 Jayankondam G. Vaithilingam PMK
Cuddalore 151 Tittakudi (SC) C. V. Ganesan DMK SPA
152 Vriddhachalam Premallatha Vijayakant DMDK
153 Neyveli R. Rajendran AIADMK AIADMK+ Opposed TVK
154 Panruti K. Mohan Supported TVK; Later declared support for EPS[35]
155 Cuddalore B. Rajkumar TVK TVK+
156 Kurinjipadi M. R. K. Panneerselvam DMK SPA
157 Bhuvanagiri A. Arunmozhithevan AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
158 Chidambaram M. Thamimum Ansari DMK SPA
159 Kattumannarkoil (SC) L. E. Jothimani VCK TVK+ Outside support to TVK government, joined TVK+ Alliance on 21 May 2026[36]
Mayiladuthurai 160 Sirkazhi (SC) R. Senthilselvan DMK SPA
161 Mayiladuthurai Jamal Mohamed Younoos INC TVK+ Won as SPA candidate; party switched to TVK+ post-election
162 Poompuhar Nivedha M. Murugan DMK SPA
Nagapattinam 163 Nagapattinam M. H. Jawahirullah DMK SPA
164 Kilvelur (SC) T. Latha CPI(M) LDF Outside support to TVK government
165 Vedaranyam O. S. Manian AIADMK AIADMK+ Opposed TVK
Tiruvarur 166 Thiruthuraipoondi (SC) K. Marimuthu CPI LDF Outside support to TVK government
167 Mannargudi S. Kamaraj AMMK AIADMK+
IND TVK+ Outside support to TVK government, and he was expelled from AMMK
168 Thiruvarur K. Poondi Kalaivanan DMK SPA
169 Nannilam R. Kamaraj AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
Thanjavur 170 Thiruvidaimarudur Govi. Chezhian DMK SPA
171 Kumbakonam Vinoth Ravi TVK TVK+
172 Papanasam A. M. Shahjahan IUML Outside support to TVK government, joined TVK+ Alliance on 21 May 2026[37]; Cabinet Minister
173 Thiruvaiyaru Durai Chandrasekaran DMK SPA
174 Thanjavur R. Vijaysaravanan TVK TVK+
175 Orathanadu R. Vaithilingam DMK SPA
176 Pattukkottai K. Annadurai
177 Peravurani N. Ashokkumar
Pudukkottai 178 Gandarvakkottai (SC) N. Subramanian TVK TVK+
179 Viralimalai C. Vijayabaskar AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
Vacant On 16 June 2026, C. Vijayabaskar resigned his office
180 Pudukkottai V. Muthuraja DMK SPA
181 Thirumayam S. Regupathy
182 Alangudi Siva V. Meyyanathan
183 Aranthangi J. Mohamed Farvas TVK TVK+
Sivaganga 184 Karaikudi T. K. Prabhu TVK TVK+ Cabinet Minister
185 Tirupattur R. Srinivasa Sethupathy
186 Sivaganga A. Kulandhai Rani
187 Manamadurai (SC) D. Elangovan
Madurai 188 Melur P. Viswanathan INC TVK+ Won as SPA candidate; party switched to TVK+ post-election; Cabinet Minister
189 Madurai East S. Karthikeyan TVK
190 Sholavandan (SC) M. V. Karuppiah
191 Madurai North A. Kallanai
192 Madurai South M. M. Gopison
193 Madurai Central Madhar Badhurudeen
194 Madurai West S. R. Thangapandi
195 Thiruparankundram C. T. R. Nirmal Kumar Cabinet Minister
196 Thirumangalam Sedapatti M. Manimaran DMK SPA
197 Usilampatti M. Vijay TVK TVK+
Theni 198 Andipatti A. Maharajan DMK SPA
199 Periyakulam (SC) G. Sabari TVK TVK+
200 Bodinayakanur O. Panneerselvam DMK SPA
201 Cumbum P. L. A. Jeganathmishra TVK TVK+
Virudhunagar 202 Rajapalayam K. Jegadeshwari TVK TVK+
203 Srivilliputhur (SC) A. Karthik
204 Sattur A. Kadarkarairaj DMK SPA
205 Sivakasi S. Keerthana TVK TVK+ Cabinet Minister
206 Virudhunagar P. Selvam
207 Aruppukkottai K. K. S. S. R. Ramachandran DMK SPA
208 Tiruchuli Thangam Thenarasu
Ramanathapuram 209 Paramakudi (SC) K. K. Kathiravan DMK SPA
210 Tiruvadanai Rajeev (TVK? TVK TVK+
211 Ramanathapuram Katharbatcha Muthuramalingam DMK SPA
212 Mudhukulathur R. S. Rajakannappan
Thoothukudi 213 Vilathikulam G. V. Markandayan DMK SPA
214 Thoothukkudi Srinath TVK TVK+
215 Tiruchendur Anitha R. Radhakrishnan DMK SPA
216 Srivaikuntam G. Saravanan TVK TVK+
217 Ottapidaram (SC) P. Mathanraja
218 Kovilpatti Ka. Karunanithi DMK SPA
Tenkasi 219 Sankarankovil (SC) Dr. Dhilipan Jaishankar AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK; Later declared support for EPS[38]
220 Vasudevanallur (SC) E. Raja DMK SPA
221 Kadayanallur T. M. Rajendran
222 Tenkasi Kalai Kathiravan
223 Alangulam P. H. Manoj Pandian
Tirunelveli 224 Tirunelveli R. S. Murughan TVK TVK+
225 Ambasamudram Esakki Subaya AIADMK AIADMK+ Supported TVK
Vacant On 26 May 2026, Isakki Subbaya his office and officially joined TVK
226 Palayamkottai M. Abdul Wahab DMK SPA
227 Nanguneri Reddiarpatti V. Narayanan TVK TVK+
228 Radhapuram Sathish Christopher
Kanyakumari 229 Kanniyakumari N. Thalavai Sundaram AIADMK AIADMK+ Opposed TVK
230 Nagercoil S. Austin DMK SPA
231 Colachal Tharahai Cuthbert INC TVK+ Won as SPA candidate; party switched to TVK+ post-election
232 Padmanabhapuram R. Chellaswamy CPI(M) LDF Outside support to TVK government
233 Vilavancode T. T. Praveen INC TVK+ Won as SPA candidate; party switched to TVK+ post-election
234 Killiyoor S. Rajeshkumar Won as SPA candidate; party switched to TVK+ post-election; Cabinet Minister

Party position

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Number of members of legislative assembly by party-wise and their floor leaders (As on 25 June 2026):

Alliance Political party No. of MLAs Floor leader of the party
Government
TVK+

Seats: 117
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam 107 C. Joseph Vijay
(Chief Minister)
Indian National Congress 5 S. Rajesh Kumar
Indian Union Muslim League 2 A. M. Shahjahan
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi 2 Vanni Arasu
Independent 1 Steady
Outside Support and Confidence
LDF

Seats: 4
Communist Party of India 2 T. Ramachandran
Communist Party of India (Marxist) 2 R. Chellaswamy
Opposition
SPA

Seats: 60
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 59 Udhayanidhi Stalin
(Leader of the Opposition)
Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam 1 Premallatha Vijayakant
Others
Seats: 47
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam 42 Edappadi K. Palaniswami
Pattali Makkal Katchi 4 Sowmiya Anbumani
Bharatiya Janata Party 1 M. Bhojarajan
Vacant
Seats: 6
6 N/A
Total 234

Standing committees of the house (2026–28)

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Past composition

[edit]

1971–1977

8 7 4 184 15 6 2 8
CPI AIFB PSP DMK INC (O) SWP IUML Ind

1977–1980

12 5 1 27 48 130 10 1
CPI (M) CPI AIFB INC (I) DMK AIADMK JP IUML

1980–1984

11 9 1 31 6 37 129 2 8
CPI (M) CPI AIFB INC (I) GKC DMK AIADMK JP Ind

1984–1989

5 2 61 2 24 132 1 3 4
CPI (M) CPI INC (I) GKC DMK AIADMK AKD JP Ind

1989–1991

15 3 26 150 27 2 4 5
CPI (M) CPI INC (I) DMK ADK (J) ADK (JA) JP Ind

1991–1996

1 1 1 1 2 2 164 60 1 1
CPI (M) CPI ICS JD DMK TMK AIADMK INC PMK Ind

1996–2001

1 8 1 1 173 4 1 39 4 1 1
CPI (M) CPI AIFB JD DMK AIADMK JP TMC (M) PMK BJP Ind

2001–2006

6 5 1 31 132 2 7 23 20 4 3
CPI (M) CPI AIFB DMK AIADMK MADMK INC TMC (M) PMK BJP Ind

13th Assembly (2006 Election)

96 61 34 18 9 6 6 2 1 1
DMK AIADMK INC PMK CPI(M) CPI MDMK VCK DMDK IND

14th Assembly (2011 Election)

150 29 23 10 9 5 3 2 2 1
AIADMK DMDK DMK CPI(M) CPI INC PMK MMK PT AIFB

15th Assembly (2016 Election)

136 89 8 1
AIADMK DMK INC IUML

16th Assembly (2021 Election)

133 66 18 5 4 4 2 2
DMK AIADMK INC PMK BJP VCK CPI CPI(M)

17th Assembly (2026 Election)

108 59 47 5 4 2 2 2 2 1 1 1
TVK DMK AIADMK INC PMK CPI CPI(M) IUML VCK AMMK BJP DMDK

List of the outcomes of Floor Tests in the Assembly

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First ever Trust vote in any Legislature of India held on 3 July 1952 - Rajaji government won[39][40]
200 151 1
AYES NOES ABSTAIN


Trust vote held on 28 January 1988 - Janaki government declared won based on the participation-strength of 110 (excluding the speaker) and the outcome disputed [41][42]
99 8 3 33
AYES NOES ABSTAIN EXPELLED


Trust vote held on 18 February 2017 - Edappadi K. Palaniswami government won[43]
122 11 98
AYES NOES EXPELLED


Vote of confidence motion held on 13 May 2026 - C. Joseph Vijay government won[44]
144 22 5 60
AYES NOES ABSTAIN WALKOUT

Portraits in the assembly chamber

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No. Portrait of Unveiled Ruling party
On By
1 C. Rajagopalachari 24 June 1948 Jawaharlal Nehru Indian National Congress
2 Mahatma Gandhi 23 August 1948 C. Rajagopalachari
3 Thiruvalluvar 22 March 1964 Zakir Husain
4 C. N. Annadurai 6 October 1969 Indira Gandhi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
5 K. Kamaraj 18 August 1977 Neelam Sanjiva Reddy All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
6 E. V. Ramasami 9 August 1980 Jothi Venkatachalam
7 B. R. Ambedkar
8 U. Muthuramalingam
9 M. Muhammad Ismail
10 M. G. Ramachandran 31 January 1992 J. Jayalalithaa
11 J. Jayalalithaa 12 February 2018 P. Dhanapal
12 S. S. Ramaswami 19 July 2019 Edappadi K. Palaniswami
13 V. O. Chidambaram 23 February 2021
14 P. Subbarayan
15 Omanthur P. Ramaswamy
16 M. Karunanidhi 2 August 2021 Ram Nath Kovind Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

The bust of P. Rajagopalachari and L. D. Swamikannu Pillai, former presidents of the Madras Legislative Council, adorns the assembly lobby.

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ S. Kamaraj was expelled from AMMK.
  2. ^ No official opposition because no political party obtained at least 10% of the seats in the following assembly election
  3. ^ No official opposition because no political party obtained at least 10% of the seats in the assembly

References

[edit]
  1. ^ APPOINTMENT OF LEADER OF THE TAMIL NADU LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (PDF), Government of Tamil Nadu, 11 May 2026, retrieved 19 May 2026
  2. ^ "Dhinakaran expels lone AMMK MLA over support to TVK". The Hindu. 12 May 2026.
  3. ^ "AIADMK factions by Velumani, EPS patch up; withdraw pleas to disqualify MLAs". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  4. ^ "Vijay Resigns as MLA of Trichy East and retained Perambur". The New Indian Express. 10 May 2026.
  5. ^ Christopher Baker (1976), "The Congress at the 1937 Elections in Madras", Modern Asian Studies, 10 (4): 557–589, doi:10.1017/s0026749x00014967, JSTOR 311763, S2CID 144054002
  6. ^ "The State Legislature - Origin and Evolution:Brief History Before independence". Assembly.tn.gov.in. Archived from the original on 13 April 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  7. ^ Kaliyaperumal, M (1992). The office of the speaker in Tamilnadu : A study (PDF). Madras University. p. 47. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011.
  8. ^ Chaurasia, Radhey Shyam (2002). History of Modern India, 1707 A. D. to 2000 A. D. Atlantic Publishers. p. 388. ISBN 978-81-269-0085-5.
  9. ^ Mansergh, Nicholas (1968). Survey of British Commonwealth Affairs: Problems of Wartime Cooperation and Post-War Change 1939–1952. Routledge. p. 299. ISBN 978-0-7146-1496-0.
  10. ^ a b "INDIA (FAILURE OF CONSTITUTIONAL MACHINERY) HC Deb 16 April 1946 vol 421 cc2586-92". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 16 April 1946. Archived from the original on 9 February 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  11. ^ Kaliyaperumal, M (1992). The office of the speaker in Tamilnadu : A study (PDF). Madras University. p. 91. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011.
  12. ^ a b c "The State Legislature – Origin and Evolution". Assembly.tn.gov.in. Archived from the original on 13 April 2010. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  13. ^ "1952 Election" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 September 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  14. ^ "The Representation of People Act, 1950" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 August 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  15. ^ "Constituent Assembly of India Debates Vol IV, Friday the 18th July 1947" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 July 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  16. ^ Hasan, Zoya; Sridharan, Eswaran; Sudharshan, R (2005). India's living constitution: ideas, practices, controversies. Anthem Press. pp. 360–63. ISBN 978-1-84331-136-2.
  17. ^ Karthikeyan, Ajitha (22 July 2008). "TN govt's new office complex faces flak". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  18. ^ S. Muthiah (28 July 2008). "From Assembly to theatre". The Hindu.
  19. ^ "A Review of the Madras Legislative Assembly (1952–1957) : Section I, Chapter 2" (PDF). Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 September 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  20. ^ a b S, Murari (15 January 2010). "Tamil Nadu Assembly bids goodbye to Fort St George, to move into new complex". Asian Tribune. Archived from the original on 16 January 2010. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  21. ^ Ramakrishnan, T. (19 April 2008). "New Assembly complex to have high-rise building". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 22 April 2008. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  22. ^ Ramakrishnan, T (13 March 2010). "Another milestone in Tamil Nadu's legislative history". The Hindu. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  23. ^ Ramakrishnan, T (11 March 2010). "State-of-the-art Secretariat draws on Tamil Nadu's democratic traditions". The Hindu. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  24. ^ "Jaya picks historic seat of power: Fort St George". The Times of India. 15 May 2011. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  25. ^ "Jayalalitha to bring back Fort St George as TN secretariat". Deccanherald.com. 15 May 2011. Archived from the original on 30 August 2011. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  26. ^ "Jayalalithaa, 33 ministers to be sworn in on Monday : Fort St George". Rediff.com. 15 May 2011. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  27. ^ "Tamil Nadu election results 2026: Full list of winners". The Hindu. 4 May 2026. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
  28. ^ a b c "3 AIADMK MLAs resigned and joined TVK". DT Next. 25 May 2026. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
  29. ^ https://www.pgurus.com/three-aiadmk-rebel-mlas-resign-set-to-join-tvk/
  30. ^ https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/iuml-to-join-tn-cm-vijays-cabinet-am-shahjahan-to-represent-party/article71006250.ece
  31. ^ https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/aiadmk-velumani-faction-willing-to-hold-talks-with-palaniswami-on-intra-party-issues/article70981726.ece
  32. ^ https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/iuml-and-vck-to-also-join-vijay-cabinet-expansion-likely-tomorrow-sources-11527767
  33. ^ https://www.pgurus.com/three-aiadmk-rebel-mlas-resign-set-to-join-tvk/
  34. ^ https://www.pgurus.com/three-aiadmk-rebel-mlas-resign-set-to-join-tvk/
  35. ^ https://www.pgurus.com/three-aiadmk-rebel-mlas-resign-set-to-join-tvk/
  36. ^ https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/iuml-and-vck-to-also-join-vijay-cabinet-expansion-likely-tomorrow-sources-11527767
  37. ^ https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/iuml-to-join-tn-cm-vijays-cabinet-am-shahjahan-to-represent-party/article71006250.ece
  38. ^ https://www.pgurus.com/three-aiadmk-rebel-mlas-resign-set-to-join-tvk/
  39. ^ "Madras Legislative Assembly Debates Official Report Thursday, 3 July 1952 Volume Ii—no. 6" (PDF). tnlasdigital (in Tamil). 3 July 1952.
  40. ^ "A Review of the Madras Legislative Assembly (1952–1957) : Section I, Chapter IV" (PDF). Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 September 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2010.
  41. ^ "Statutory Resolution Approving Proclamation Issued by the President on 30 January 1988 in Relation to the State of Tamil Nadu" (PDF). Rajya Sabha. 8 March 1988.
  42. ^ "தமிழ்நாடு சட்டமன்றப்‌ பேரவை 1988, ஜனவரி 28, வியாழக்கிழமை" (PDF). tnlasdigital (in Tamil). 28 January 1988.
  43. ^ "Tamil Nadu legislative assembly debates official report (fifteenth assembly) Saturday, the 18th February 2017—Volume 19" (PDF). tnlasdigital (in Tamil). 18 February 2017.
  44. ^ "Tamil Nadu Assembly session LIVE: Chief Minister Vijay's TVK wins trust vote with 144 'ayes'". The Hindu. 13 May 2026. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
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