Pondicherry Representative Assembly


After merger of French settlements into Indian Union, a new assembly, named as Pondicherry Representative Assembly has been created by Government of India. After the de-factor merger and before the legal integration with the Indian Union on 16 August 1962, general elections to the assembly were held in 1955 and 1959.

Background

In 1946, French India became Overseas territory of France.
Then, in the same year on October 25, the Representative Assembly of French India of 44 members has been created that replaced the general council.
During the start of Fourth Republic, by decree nº 46-2381, dated the 25th October, 1946, passed by the Government of France instituting a Representative Assembly in the French India. This originally assembly had 44 seats in total. After merger of Changernagore, the size reduced to 39. A member of this assembly was referred as Councillor. The seat of the representative assembly is assigned at Pondichéry and the tenure is fixed to be 5 years.
The de-facto transfer of French settlements in India has happened on November 1 1954. These four french settlements were organized as State of Pondicherry. Later, on June 11 1955, The Government of India has dissolved the Representative Assembly of French India by State of Pondicherry Order.

Commune-wise allocation of seats

After 1951, French India consisted of four settlements, namely, Pondichéry, Karikal, Mahé and Yanaon. The allocation of 39 seats of the Assemblée Représentative of French India for the 17 communes of French India. Établissements de Pondichéry and Karikal had 8 and 6 electoral constituencies, respectively. While, Mahé and Yanaon had one electoral constituency, respectively.
As per Article 2 of the decree, the composition of the assembly is determined as below

1955 Pondicherry Representative Assembly election

The 1955 Pondicherry Representative Assembly election were held from July 18th to 23rd. Initially, Maurice Pakkiriswamy Pillai led the Pondicherry Representative Assembly from 17 August 1955 until his death in January 1956. Then, Among the winners, another cabined had been formed comprising of Eduard Goubert, Chandrasekhara Chettiar, Mohammed Yusoof, S. Dakshinamoorthy Mudaliar and Thiagraja Naicker has been formed.

1959 Pondicherry Representative Assembly election

The 1959 Pondicherry Representative Assembly election were held from August 11th to 14th. Among the winners, a six-membered council was formed under leadership of V. Venkatasubba Reddiar. It had V. Venkatasubba Reddiar, Eduard Goubert, C. E. Barathan, Gouroussamy Pillai, P. Shanmugam and Mohamed Ismail Maricar.

Dissolution

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. Edouard Goubert became the chief minister in the subsequent Pondicherry Legislative Assembly.

See Also