CHENNAI: The 15th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is unique in many ways. For the first time, technically, it will be a four-party House with no representation for the Left parties.
The latest version of one of the oldest assemblies in the country would also host its the strongest opposition yet, with the DMK, which bagged 89 seats, eclipsing the 61-member strength of the AIADMK in the 2006 version.
Though Manithaneya Jayanayaka Katchi, Tamil Nadu Kongu Ilaignar Peravari and Mukkulathor Pulippadai are part of the AIADMK alliance, they contested on the Two Leaves symbol of the AIADMK, making them the ruling party’s members for all practical purposes.
There are 89 DMK members, eight from Congress and one from IUML in the opposition ranks as they had contested the polls with the DMK.
The number of women members in the House too has gone up to from 17 to 21 in this Assembly, with four women ministers, including Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
The 232 newly elected members of the 15th Assembly are likely to take oath within a week’s time. Before the oath-taking commences a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, Bible, Quran and a copy of the Indian Constitution will be placed on the oath-taking table.
The members, may choose to take their oaths on the book of their choice. They may also take their oath swearing by their conscience.
The genesis of the Legislature in India can be traced to the 18th century, when the present Tamil Nadu State was part of the then Madras Presidency. The Madras Presidency comprised the present Tamil Nadu and some parts of the present states of Odisha, Kerala, Karnataka and the whole of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, excluding the former native state of Nizam.
The Madras Legislative Council was set up in 1921 under the Government of India Act 1919. The term of the Council was for a period of three years. It consisted of 132 Members, of which 34 were nominated by the Governor and the rest were elected.
It met for the first time on January 9, 1921 at Fort St. George. The Council was inaugurated by the Duke of Connaught, a paternal uncle of the King of England, on January 12, 1921 on the request made by the Governor Lord Wellington.
The Chair of the Speaker of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly that adorns the House resembles the Speaker’s Chair in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.
This artistic Chair was presented by His Excellency Lord Willingdon, the Governor of Madras Presidency and his wife Lady Willingdon to the President of Madras Legislative Council as a personal gift during an interesting ceremony held on March 6, 1922.
The stewards since 1952
A glimpse into the past to brush up memory on former chief ministers
C Rajagopalachari: 1952 to 1954
K Kamaraj: 1954 to 1963
M Bakthavatsalam: 1963 to 1967
C.N. Annadurai: 1967 to 1969
M Karunanidhi 1969 to 1971 and 1971 to 1976
M G Ramachandran
1977 to 1980
1980 to 1984
1985 to 1987
Janaki Ramachandran: 1988 to 1988
M Karunanidhi: 1989 to 1991
J Jayalalithaa: 1991 to 1996
M Karunanidhi: 1996 to 2001
J Jayalalithaa: 2001 to 2001
O Panneerselvam: 2001 to 2002
J Jayalalithaa: 2002 to 2006
M. Karunanidhi: 2006 to 2011
J Jayalalithaa: 2011 to 2014
O Panneerselvam: 2014 to 2015
J Jayalalithaa: 2015-16
Down Memory Lane
A look into the evolution of our State Assembly and how it became what it's now
1921
Madras Legislative Council set up with 132 members
1937
First Madras Legislative Assembly constituted
1946
Second Legislative Assembly constituted
1952
First Legislature of the Madras State under independent India constituted on March 1
1961
Consituencies (Abolition) Act, 1961 enacted, 38 double-member constituencies abolished
Equal number of single-member constituencies reservedfor SCs/STs
1967
Madras becomes Tamil Nadu
Strength remains 234, excluding a nominated member
1986
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Council Abolished
Bicameral legislature established in 1937 becomes unicameral
