1959 Pondicherry Representative Assembly election
← 1955 11 August 1959 (1959-08-11) 1964 →
All 39 seats to the Puducherry Representative Assembly
20 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader V. Venkatasubba Reddiar V.Subbiah
Party Indian National Congress People's Front
Leader's seat Nettapakkam Murungapakkam-Nainar Mandapam
Last election 20 16
Seats before 22 12
Seats won 21 13
Seat change Decrease 1 Increase 1
Percentage 38.4% 31.6%
Chief Minister before election

Édouard Goubert
Indian National Congress

Elected Chief Minister

V. Venkatasubba Reddiar
Indian National Congress

After the de facto merger on 1 November 1954 and before the legal integration with the Indian Union on 16 August 1962, second general elections were held in August 1959 to constitute Second Pondicherry Representative Assembly.[1][2]

Background

the Congress, with the support of independents, was able to form a Government after first elections in 1955. However, that government was not stable as the ruling party was ridden with personal strife and factions. The Government of India had to intervene finally by dissolving the Assembly and the Chief Commissioner took over the administration in October 1958.[3] Later, after nine months, second general elections were held to the Pondicherry Representative Assembly in 1959 from 11 to 14 August.

Results

The results of 1959 election were summarized below:[4][5]: 197 

Parties and Coalitions Won Votes Vote % Change
  Indian National Congress 21 60,636 38.4 Decrease1
  People's Front[note 1] 13 49,505 31.6 Increase1
  Independents and others[note 2] 5 47,162 30 Steady
TOTAL 39 1,57,030 100 N.A.

Another reference with some change in voteshare were summarized below:[3]

Parties and Coalitions Won Votes Vote % Change
  Indian National Congress 21 64,000 41.1 Decrease1
  People's Front[note 3] 13 53,800 34.3 Increase1
  Independents and others[note 4] 5 38,600 24.6 Steady
TOTAL 39 1,57,000 100 N.A.

However, during 1963, the state of parties in the Representative Assembly was: Congress, 24; People's Front (Makkaḷ Munnaṇi (Tamil:மக்கள் முன்னணி)), 12; Praja Socialist Party, 1; Independents, 2.[7]: 475 

Members of the 1959 Pondicherry Representative Assembly

Members of the 1959 Pondicherry Representative Assembly
S. No Name Constituency Region Party
1 Kamisetty Savithri Anakalapettai[note 5] Yanam Ind.[note 6]
2 Kamisetty Parasuram Naidu Andhrapettai[note 7] Yanam Ind.
3 P.C. Purushottam Rettiar Archivak–Tavalacoupom Pondicherry Congress
4 K.Ramanujam Ariankuppam Pondicherry P.F.[note 8]
5 K. Subrahmania Padayachi Bahour Pondicherry Congress
6 M.M.Hussein Bussy Street Pondicherry P.F.
7 Annamalai Naicker Embaralam-Kalamandapam Pondicherry Congress
8 S. Somasundara Chettiar Kalapet Pondicherry Congress
9 Mohamed Ismail Maricar Karikal North Karikal Congress
10 K.E.M. Mohamed Ibrahim Maricar Karikal Central Karikal Ind.
11 K.V. Prosper Karikal South Karikal Congress
12 K.S.Govindaraj Karaikovil Pathu Karikal Congress
13 Smt. Saraswathi Subbiah Kasikaddai Pondicherry P.F.
14 P.C. Murugaswamy Clemenceau Kurichikuppam Pondicherry P.F.
15 R.L. Purushottam Reddiar Kuruvinattam-Kariambuttur Pondicherry Congress
16 V.Ramaswamy Pillai Madhakovil Karikal Congress
17 C. E. Barathan Mahe Town Mahe Congress
18 Édouard Goubert Mannadipet Pondicherry Congress `
19 V.Subbaiah Murungapakkam-Nainar Mandapam Pondicherry P.F.
20 P. Abraham Muthialpet Pondicherry Congress
21 P. Shanmugam Nedungadu Karikal Congress
22 N. Govindaraju Nellitope Town Pondicherry P.F.
23 D. Rathinasabapathy Pillai Neravy Karikal Congress
24 Venkatasubba Reddiar Nettapakkam Pondicherry Congress
25 N. Guruswamy Oulgaret Pondicherry P.F.
26 R. Vaithilingam Ooppalaom Pondicherry P.F.
27 R. Pakir Mohammed Oossetteri Pondicherry P.F.
28 P.K.Raman Palloor Mahe P.S.P.
29 V.N.Purushottama Panthakkal Mahe Congress
30 A. S. Gangeyan Rajbhavan Pondicherry Congress
31 V.Narayanaswamy Reddiarpalayam Town Pondicherry P.F.
32 P.Narayana Swamy Saram and Lawspet Pondicherry P.F.
33 S. Natarajan Sellipet-Souttoukeny Pondicherry P.F.
34 K. M. Guruswamy Pillai Thirumeni Alagar Karikal Congress
35 V. M. C. Varada Pillai Thirumalayapattinam North Karikal Congress
36 Nagamuthu Pillai Thirumalarayanpattinam South Karikal Congress
37 Subbarayulu Naicker Tirunalar-Badrakaliamman Kovil Karikal Congress
38 Soundarassamy Tirunalar-Darbaranyeswarar Koil Karikal Ind.
39 M. Chidambaram Villenour Pondicherry P.F.

Council of ministers of Reddiar (1959-1963)

Under supervision of then chief commissioner L.R.S Singh a Council of ministers was formed under leadership of V. Venkatasubba Reddiar:[8] on 9 September 1959.[9]: 966  President of the assembly that is equivalent to speaker was A. S. Gangeyan.[7]: 475 

Minister Portfolio
V. Venkatasubba Reddiar
Chief minister 		Public Works, Electrical, Fisheries and Port
Édouard Goubert Finance, Labour and Industries
C. E. Barathan Local Administration, Education and Transport
Gouroussamy Pillai
Revenue minister 		Revenue, Veterinary and Information
P. Shanmugam
Agriculture minister 		Agriculture, Rural Development and Harijan Welfare
Mohamed Ismail Maricar
Health minister 		Health, Hygiene and Co-operation

Council of ministers of Goubert (1963-1964)

The French settlements of India were de jure transferred on 16 August 1962. Pondicherry Representative Assembly functioned until June 30, 1963, and succeeded by Puducherry Legislative Assembly. The Indian Parliament enacted the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 that came into force on 1 July 1963, and the pattern of Government prevailing in the rest of the country was introduced in this territory also, but subject to certain limitations.[10] Edouard Goubert became the chief minister in the subsequent Pondicherry Legislative Assembly.

In the First Legislative Assembly of Pondicherry, under supervision of then chief commissioner S.K. Datta a Council of ministers was formed under leadership of Édouard Goubert:[11] on 1 July 1963.[9] Speaker was A. S. Gangeyan.

Minister Portfolio
Édouard Goubert
Chief Minister 		Confidential and Cabinet Department, Home Department, Appointments Department, General Administration Department (except Information, Publicity and Government Press,) Education Department, Legislative and Judicial Department, Industries Department, Finance Department and any other business not allocated to any other Minister
V. Venkatasubba Reddiar
Development minister 		Five Year Plans-Planning, Implementation and Evaluation, Public Works Department, Electricity, Fisheries, Port, Government Press and Statistics
Gouroussamy Pillai
Revenue minister 		Revenue Department, Animal Husbandry, Information and Publicity Department
Mohamed Ismail Maricar
Health minister 		Medical and Public Health Department, Co-operation and Town Planning
M.K.Zeevaratnam Local Administration Department, Labour Department, Social, Child and Women's Welfare
V.M.C. Varada Pillay

Agriculture minister 		Agriculture, Community Development and Local Development Works

Trivia

In Yanam, for Kanakalapeta constituency, two independents[note 9] secured exactly 707 votes each and so to decide the winner, lots were cast. Finally, Kamichetty Savithri was declared winner.[note 10] In the same constituency, Congress candidate polled only 8 votes.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ "India, A Reference Annual 1956". Publications Division. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. 1956. p. 494.
  2. ^ G.C.Malhotra (1964). Cabinet Responsibility to Legislature. Metropolitan Book Co. Pvt. Ltd. p. 464. ISBN 9788120004009.
  3. ^ a b K. K., Rajagopalan (September 12, 1959). "Pondicherry Assembly Elections An Analysis" (PDF). The Economic Weekly. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  4. ^ A.M.Zaidi (1990). The Story of Congress Pilgrimage: 1964-1970. Vol. 6. Indian Institute of Applied Political Research, New Delhi. p. 38. ISBN 9788185355528.
  5. ^ S. Steinberg (1960). The Statesman's Year-Book 1960: The One-Volume ENCYCLOPAEDIA of all nations. MACMILLAN&Co.LTD, London. ISBN 9780230270893.
  6. ^ a b Rajagopalan, K. K. (12 September 1959). "Pondicherry Assembly Elections : An Analysis" (PDF) (PDF). The Economic Weekly. p. 1269. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  7. ^ a b S. Steinberg (1963). The Statesman's Year-Book 1963: The One-Volume ENCYCLOPAEDIA of all nations. MACMILLAN&Co.LTD, London. ISBN 9780230270923.
  8. ^ "India A Reference Annual 1962". Publications Division. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. 1962. p. 499.
  9. ^ a b G. C. Malhotra (2004). Cabinet Responsibility to Legislature. Lok Sabha Secretariat. ISBN 9788120004009.
  10. ^ "The Government of Union Territories Act, 1963" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India. Retrieved 8 June 2020.
  11. ^ Ajaib Singh, Bureau of Statistics (1963). "The Union Territory of Pondicherry, Maps & Charts" (PDF). Government of Pondicherry.
  12. ^ Rajagopalan, K (12 September 1959). "Pondicherry Assembly Elections" (PDF). Economic and Political Weekly (37).

Notes

  1. ^ Thirty-four Communist candidates stood under the banner of the People's Front.[6]
  2. ^ i.e. Praja Socialist Party
  3. ^ Thirty-four Communist candidates stood under the banner of the People's Front.[6]
  4. ^ i.e. Praja Socialist Party
  5. ^ i.e. Kanakalapeta constituency
  6. ^ i.e. Independent
  7. ^ i.e. Adi Andhrapeta constituency
  8. ^ i.e. People's Front
  9. ^ Kamichetty Savithri and Yerra Jagannadha Rao
  10. ^ There was a rumour that on both of lots the name of Kamichetty Savithri was written. Thus ensuring her victory.
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