Elections in Andhra Pradesh are conducted in accordance with the Constitution of India. 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. 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.
Electoral system In 2014, Andhra Pradesh (Total 294 seats) was bifurcated into Andhra Pradesh (175 seats) and Telangana (119 seats) states.
National level Lok Sabha Andhra Pradesh is represented by a total of 25 MPs in the Lok Sabha. From the total of 25 seats, 20 belong to the general category candidates and the other 5 are reserved for the SC/ST category. In the 2024 Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election, out of 25 seats, National Democratic Alliance won 21 seats, while Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party managed to win 4 seats.
Rajya Sabha Both houses of the state legislature jointly nominate Members to the Rajya Sabha.
State level
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.
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.
Electoral history The first general elections were conducted in Andhra state in 1955, for 196 constituencies representing 11 Districts. In 1956, the United Andhra Pradesh State Legislative Assembly had 294 seats representing 23 districts. From 1956 to 1958 the United Andhra Pradesh Legislature was Unicameral. In 1958, the Legislative Council was formed, making the legislature Bicameral. The council was later abolished, and the legislature became Unicameral 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. From 2014 there are 175 constituencies in Andhra Legislative Assembly and 58 constituencies Andhra Legislative Council.
Main political parties Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Jana Sena Party (JSP), YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM).
General (Lok Sabha) elections Lok SabhaTotal seats1st party2nd party3rd partyOther partyPartySeatsPartySeatsPartySeatsPartySeatsPartySeatsPartySeatsPartySeatsPartySeatsPartySeats1st()28 Indian National Congress6 Communist Party of India6 Kisan Mazdoor Praja Party2Socialist Party2IND 12122nd()43373rd()4334 Communist Party of India7Swatantra Party1IND 114th()4135Swatantra Party3IND 22 Communist Party of India15th()4128 Telangana Praja Samithi10 Communist Party of India1Communist Party of India (Marxist)1IND 116th()42 Indian National Congress (R)4117th()42428th()42 Telugu Desam Party31 Indian National Congress69th()42 Indian National Congress39 Telugu Desam Party2All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen110th()422513 Communist Party of India1Communist Party of India (Marxist)1Bharatiya Janata Party1All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen111th()4222162CPI(M) 1112th()422212Bharatiya Janata Party4 Communist Party of India213th()42 Telugu Desam Party29Bharatiya Janata Party7 Indian National Congress5All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen114th(42 Indian National Congress29 Telugu Desam Party5Telangana Rashtra Samithi2 Communist Party of India1Communist Party of India (Marxist)1All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen115th()42336Telangana Rashtra Samithi2All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen116th()25 Telugu Desam Party15 YSR Congress Party8Bharatiya Janata Party217th()25 YSR Congress Party22 Telugu Desam Party318th()25 Telugu Desam Party16 Bharatiya Janata Party3 Jana Sena Party2 YSR Congress Party4
Assembly elections
Andhra State (1953–1956) Year ElectionChief Minister Party Party-wise seats details Opposition Leader1955First AssemblyBezawada Gopala Reddy(Congress)Total: 196. Congress: 119 CPI: 15, Independents: 8Puchalapalli Sundarayya
Andhra Pradesh (1956–present) Year ElectionChief Minister Party Party-wise seats details Opposition Leader1957First AssemblyNeelam Sanjiva Reddy Damodaram Sanjivayya(Congress) INC 68; PDF 22; Independent 12; Total 105Puchalapalli Sundarayya1962Second AssemblyNeelam Sanjiva ReddyKasu Brahmananda Reddy(Congress)Total: 300. Congress: 177 CPI: 51, Swatantra Party: 19, Independents: 51Puchalapalli Sundarayya1967Third AssemblyKasu Brahmananda ReddyP.V. Narasimha Rao(Congress)Total: 287. Congress: 165 Swatantra Party: 29, CPM: 9, CPI: 11, BJS : 3, RPI: 1, SSP: 1, Independents: 68T. Nagi Reddy1972Fourth AssemblyP.V. Narasimha RaoJalagam Vengala Rao(Congress)Congress: 219/287, Independents: 57.Vacant1978Fifth AssemblyMarri Chenna ReddyT. AnjaiahBhavanam Venkatarami ReddyKotla Vijaya Bhaskara ReddyCongress(Indira)Total: 294. INC(I)+Congress: 205, Janata Party: 60, Ind: 15.Gouthu Latchanna1983Sixth AssemblyNandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Nadendla Bhaskara Rao(Telugu Desam) (Rebel TDP Group)Total: 294. Telugu Desam: Approx 205. Congress: 60, BJP: 3, CPI: 4, CPM: 5.Mogaligundla Baga Reddy1985Seventh AssemblyNandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (2)Telugu Desam PartyTotal: 294. TDP: 202, Congress: 50 BJP: 8, Janata Party: 3, CPI: 11, CPM: 11Mogaligundla Baga Reddy1989Eighth AssemblyM Chenna Reddy (2)Nedurumalli Janardhana ReddyKotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy (2)CongressTotal: 294. Congress: 181, TDP: 74.N T Rama Rao1994Ninth AssemblyNandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (3)Nara Chandrababu NaiduTelugu Desam PartyTotal: 294. TDP: 216, Congress: 26, CPI: 19, CPM: 15, BJP: 3P. Janardhan Reddy1999Tenth AssemblyNara Chandrababu Naidu (2)(Telugu Desam Party)Total: 294. TDP+BJP: 180+10 = 190, Congress: 91Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy2004Eleventh AssemblyY. S. Rajasekhara ReddyCongressTotal: 294. Congress: 185, TDP: 47, TRS: 26, CPM:9, CPI:6, MIM:4, BJP:2, BSP:1 Nara Chandrababu Naidu2009Twelfth AssemblyY. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (2)Konijeti RosaiahKiran Kumar ReddyCongressTotal: 294. Congress: 156. TDP: 92, Praja Rajyam Party: 18, TRS: 10.Nara Chandrababu Naidu2014Thirteenth AssemblyNara Chandrababu Naidu(3)TDPTotal: 175. TDP: 102. BJP:4; YSR Congress: 67Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy2019Fourteenth AssemblyY S Jagan Mohan ReddyYSRCPTotal: 175. YSR Congress:151, TDP: 23, JSP:1.Nara Chandrababu Naidu2024Fifteenth AssemblyNara Chandrababu Naidu(4)TDPTotal: 175. TDP: 135, JSP:21, BJP:8, YSR Congress:11. vacant
Performance of Political Parties 961INCTDPYSRCP + Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Political Party 1955 1957 1962 1967 1972 1978 1983 1985 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019 2024 INC 119681771652193060501812691185156000 JP1300000 BJP38531222408 CPI150511176611819064000 CPI(M)918511615291000 TDP20274216180479210223135 TRS10AIMIM1447 PRP LSP YSRCP67 15111 JSP 021 Independents 22135168571500150503100 Others402421343175 209120150100 Total196105300287287294294294294294294294294175175175
+ Legend Particular RepresentationDid not exist/Did not contest previouslyMerger/DissolvedSplitDebutDid not contest
History of political parties
The Indian National Congress (INC) won a majority of seats at the state level continuously from the formation of the state until 1983 when the Telugu Desam Party (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 1994 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 came into the lime light. He has resigned from congress after disputes with congress leadership at center.
The state had an ongoing sub-regionalist Telangana movement with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) being formed in 2001 on this platform. And under the leadership of K Chandrashekar Rao separate state of Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh. Then during next elections TDP had emerged with highest number of seats after fighting the elections with BJP and Pawan Kalyan 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. TDP was in opposition in the state assembly. JanaSena getting third highest percentage of votes and both BJP and Congress became small parties in Andhra Pradesh.
During 2024 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections (total 175) TDP won (135) with a landslide historic victory in both elections. Currently there is no actual opposition in the state assembly since the opposition YSRCP did not secure enough seats (required 18, won 11). JanaSena getting second highest no. of seats (21) and BJP (8) 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. 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 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