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Elections in
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
state,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
are conducted in accordance with the
Constitution of India
The Constitution of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme law of India. The document lays down the framework that demarcates fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental ...
. The Assembly of Andhra Pradesh creates laws regarding the conduct of local body elections unilaterally while any changes by the state legislature to the conduct of state level elections need to be approved by the
Parliament of India
The Parliament of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Republic of India. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the president of India and two houses: the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the ...
. In addition, the state legislature may be dismissed by the Parliament according to Article 356 of the Indian Constitution and
President's rule may be imposed.
Andhra Pradesh electoral system
In 2014, Andhra Pradesh (Total 294 seats) was bifurcated into Andhra Pradesh (175 seats) and Telangana (119 seats) states.
National level representation
Lok Sabha delegation
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...
is represented by 25
MPs in
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha, constitutionally the House of the People, is the lower house of India's bicameral Parliament, with the upper house being the Rajya Sabha. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by an adult universal suffrage and a first-p ...
. In the
2019 Indian general election
General elections were held in India in seven phases from 11 April to 19 May 2019 to elect the members of the 17th Lok Sabha. Votes were counted and the result was declared on 23 May. Around 912 million people were eligible to vote, and voter ...
, out of 25 seats,
Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party
The Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP or YCP; ) is an Indian regional political party based in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Its president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy serves as the state's chief minister. It is currently the fifth la ...
won a majority of 22 seats, while others manage 3 seats with a very least majority.
Rajya Sabha delegation
Both houses of the state legislature jointly nominate Members to the
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha, constitutionally the Council of States, is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India. , it has a maximum membership of 245, of which 233 are elected by the legislatures of the states and union territories using si ...
.
With YSRCP Has 6 Rajyasabha seats from Majority of state seats
State level representations
Legislative Assembly
The Andhra Pradesh legislature assembly has 175 seats. For the election of its members, the state is divided into 175 Assembly Constituencies in which the candidate securing the largest number of votes is declared elected. In the
Andhra Pradesh Assembly Elections 2019, the
YSR Congress Party
The Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP or YCP; ) is an Indian regional political party based in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Its president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy serves as the state's chief minister. It is currently the fifth la ...
formed the
state government having an outstanding majority of 151 seats, 20 seats of TDP ,1 With JSP & 3 As Indipendents (represented by ASSEMBLY SPEAKER)
Legislative Council
The Upper House known as the
Legislative Council has lesser powers than the Assembly and several of its members are nominated by the Assembly; others are elected from various sections of society, such as Graduates and Teachers. Currently the Legislative Council consists of 58 members.
History of elections in Andhra Pradesh
The first general elections were conducted in Andhra Pradesh in 1956, for 249 constituencies representing 26 Districts. In 2009, the Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Assembly had 294 seats representing 23 districts. From 1956 to 1958 the Andhra Pradesh Legislature was
Unicameral
Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature, which consists of one house or assembly, that legislates and votes as one.
Unicameral legislatures exist when there is no widely perceived need for multi ...
and from 1958 when the council was formed the Legislative Council was abolished and the Andhra Pradesh Legislature became Unicameral once again, until March 2007 when it was re-established and elections were held for its seats as per The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council Bill, 2004.
Main political parties
YSR Congress Party
The Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP or YCP; ) is an Indian regional political party based in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Its president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy serves as the state's chief minister. It is currently the fifth la ...
(YSRCP),
Telugu Desam Party
The Telugu Desam Party (; TDP) is an Indian regional political party operating in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana at the state and central level. Since its founding by N. T. Rama Rao (often referred to as NTR) on 29 March 1982, the party has fo ...
(TDP),
Jana Sena Party
Jana Sena or Jana Sena Party (JSP) (''People's Army Party'') is an Indian Regional political party based in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, India. It was founded by Tollywood actor and politician Pawan Kalyan on 14 March 2014. ''Jana Sena'' ...
(JSP),
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British E ...
(INC),
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Mod ...
(BJP),
Communist Party of India (CPI),
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (abbreviated as CPI(M)/CPIM/CPM) is a Marxist–Leninist communist political party in India. It is the largest communist party of India in terms of membership and electoral seats and one of the na ...
(CPIM).
Lok Sabha elections
Since independence, 15 Lok Sabha elections have been contested in India, starting in 1951. The elections held in Andhra Pradesh are listed below. The 1951 election results from Hyderabad state, since Andhra Pradesh gained statehood, after merging with Telugu speaking Madras, after that election.
In 2014, Andhra Pradesh (Total 42) was bifurcated into Telangana (17) and Andhra Pradesh (25) states. (TRS won 11 out of 17 in Telangana.)
See :
Information about Elections in Telangana
From 2014
Total Seats- 25
Assembly election
In 2014, Andhra Pradesh (Total 294) was bifurcated into Telangana (119) and Andhra Pradesh (175) states.
See :
Information about Elections in Telangana
Performace of Political Parties
History of political parties
The
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British E ...
(INC) won a majority of seats at the state level continuously from the formation of the state until 1983 when the
Telugu Desam Party
The Telugu Desam Party (; TDP) is an Indian regional political party operating in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana at the state and central level. Since its founding by N. T. Rama Rao (often referred to as NTR) on 29 March 1982, the party has fo ...
(TDP) was formed by Actor N.T.Rama Rao, the first non-Congress government in the state. From 1984 to 2004, the politics of the state was essentially a two party system. The INC regained the state from 1989 to 1994.
The TDP formed the state government from 1995 to 2004. In 2004, the INC formed the government again. This government also completed its second term having won the Assembly elections in 2009. The Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) was formed in 2008 by Telugu Film Actor Chiranjeevi; that party won the third largest number of seats in the 2009 state assembly elections and then merged into congress. After the death of the chief minister
Y. S. Rajashekar Reddy his son
Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
Yeduguri Sandinti Jagan Mohan Reddy (born 21 December 1972) also known as Y. S. Jagan or mononymously Jagan, is an Indian entrepreneur and politician serving as the 17th and current chief minister of Andhra Pradesh since 30 May 2019. He is the ...
came into the lime light. He has resigned from congress after disputes with congress leadership at center. The TDP forms the principal opposition party in the state assembly during this time.
The state had an ongoing sub-regionalist
Telangana movement
The Telangana movement refers to a movement for the creation of a separate state, Telangana, from the pre-existing state of Andhra Pradesh in India. The new state corresponds to the Telugu-speaking portions of the erstwhile princely state of H ...
with the
Telangana Rashtra Samithi
Bharat Rashtra Samithi ( ; BRS), formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samithi ( TRS), is an Indian political party which is predominantly active in the state of Telangana. It was founded on 27 April 2001 as by K. Chandrashekar Rao, with a sing ...
(TRS) being formed in 2001 on this platform. And under the leadership of
K Chandrashekar Rao separate state of
Telangana
Telangana (; , ) is a state in India situated on the south-central stretch of the Indian peninsula on the high Deccan Plateau. It is the eleventh-largest state and the twelfth-most populated state in India with a geographical area of and 3 ...
was carved out of Andhra Pradesh. Then during next elections TDP had emerged with highest number of seats after fighting the elections with
BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Mo ...
and
Pawan Kalyan
Pawan Kalyan (born Konidela Kalyan Babu; 2 September is an Indian actor, filmmaker, and politician. His films are predominantly in Telugu cinema. Kalyan is the younger brother of actor-ex.politician Chiranjeevi, and made his debut in the 1996 ...
who was entering politics during that time. Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has formed a new party after resigning from congress named
Y. S. R Congress party which was the main opposition from 2014–2019. During this period
JanaSena the party of Pawan Kalyan cut ties with TDP due to conflict on
special status of Andhra Pradesh which was one of the commitments during the states bifurcation in 2014. Also TDP cut ties with BJP in 2019 for the same reason.
During 2019 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections YSR congress party won with a landslide victory in both elections. Currently TDP is in opposition in the state assembly. JanaSena getting third highest percentage of votes and both BJP and Congress became small parties in Andhra Pradesh
Election Commission
Elections in Andhra Pradesh are conducted by the
Election Commission of India whose state level head is the Chief Election Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh, the authority created under the
Constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When these princ ...
. It is a well established convention that once the election process commences, no courts intervene until the results are declared by the election commission. During the elections, vast powers are assigned to the election commission to the extent that it can function as a civil court, if needed.
Electoral process
The latest election in Andhra Pradesh were conducted in two phases. All citizens of India above 18 years of age are eligible to enrol as voters in the electoral rolls. It is the responsibility of the eligible voters to enrol. Normally, voter registrations are allowed at latest one week prior to the last date for nomination of candidates.
Pre elections
The Election Commission's Model Code of Conduct enters into force as soon as the notification for polls is issued. This places restrictions on the campaigning by political parties as well as prohibits certain government actions that would unduly influence the election.
Voting day
The electoral process is the same as in the rest of India with
Electronic Voting Machines
An electronic voting machine is a voting machine based on electronics.
Two main technologies exist: '' optical scanning'' and '' direct recording'' (DRE).
Optical scanning
In an optical scan voting system, or marksense, each voter's choices ...
being used for all Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections.
Post elections
After the election day, the EVMs are stood stored in a strong room under heavy security. After the different phases of the elections are complete, a day is set to count the votes. The votes are tallied and typically, the verdict is known within hours. The candidate who has mustered the most votes is declared the winner of the constituency.
The party or coalition that has won the most seats is invited by the Governor to form the new government. The coalition or party must prove its majority in the floor of the house (Legislative Assembly) in a vote of confidence by obtaining a simple majority (minimum 50%) of the votes in the House.
Absentee voting
As of now, India does not have an absentee ballot system. Section 19 of The Representation of the People Act (RPA)-1950 allows a person to register to vote if he or she is above 18 years of age and is an 'ordinary resident' of the residing constituency i.e. living at the current address for 6 months or longer. Section 20 of the above Act disqualifies a non-resident Indian (NRI) from getting his/her name registered in the electoral rolls. Consequently, it also prevents an NRI from casting his/her vote in elections to the Parliament and to the State Legislatures.
The Representation of the People (Amendment) 2006 Bill was introduced in the Parliament by Shri Hanraj Bharadwaj, Minister of Law and Justice during February 2006 with an objective to amend Section 20 of the RPA-1950 to enable NRIs to vote. Despite the report submitted by the Parliamentary Standing Committee two years ago, the Government has so far failed to act on the recommendations. The Bill was reintroduced in the 2008 budget session of the Parliament to the Lok Sabha. But no action taken once again.
Several civic society organisations have urged the government to amend the RPA act to allow NRI's and people on the move to cast their vote through absentee ballot system.
Non-Resident Indians Voting rights in the upcoming general elections
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Further reading
* Subrata K. Mitra and V. B. Singh. 1999. ''Democracy and Social Change in India: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the National Electorate''. New Delhi: Sage Publications. (India HB) (U.S. HB).
* Subrata K. Mitra, Mike Enskat, Clemens Spiess (eds.). 2004. ''Political Parties in South Asia''. Greenwood: Praeger.
* Subrata K. Mitra/Mike Enskat/V. B. Singh. 2001. ''India'', in: Nohlen, Dieter (Ed.). Elections in Asia and the Pacific: A Data Handbook. Vol. I. Oxford: Oxford University Press
See also
* List of Assembly constituencies of Andhra Pradesh
* List of Lok Sabha Constituencies
* Elections in India
India has a parliamentary system as defined by its constitution, with power distributed between the central government and the states.
The President of India is the ceremonial head of state of the country and supreme commander-in-chief for a ...
* 49-O Popularly known as 'No Vote'
List Of All 175 MLA Candidates Who’ve Won In Andhra Pradesh State Assembly Elections 2019
* List of chairpersons of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council
The Chairperson of Andhra Legislative Council or Chairperson of Andhra Sasana Mandali presides over the upper house of the Andhra Legislature. The Chairperson regulates the debates and proceedings of the House.
The office was in existence from ...
References
External links
Andhra Pradesh State Election Commission
Election Commission of India
Assembly Elections
History and information
News Related to 2009 Elections in India
Social Media Conversations of Indian Elections 2009
Andhra Pradesh Lok Sabha Election 2019
AP Information in Telugu
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elections in Andhra Pradesh