1960 Kerala Legislative Assembly election

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1960 Kerala Legislative Assembly election

← 1957 1 February 1960 1965 →
All 126 seats in the Kerala Legislative Assembly 64 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	85.72% (20.23)
First party Second party   Leader Pattom A. Thanu Pillai E. M. S. Namboodiripad Party PSP CPI Alliance With INC & IUML Leader's seat Trivandrum Pattambi Last election 9 60 Seats won 95 (20 PSP +63 INC+ +11 ML +1 IND) 29 Seat change 11 31 Popular vote 2,789,556 3,171,732 Percentage 34.42% 39.14% Swing 3.43% 3.86%
Chief Minister before election Vacant President's rule Chief Minister Pattom A. Thanu Pillai PSP

The Kerala Legislative Assembly election of 1960 was the second assembly election in the Indian state of Kerala. The elections were held on 1 February 1960.^[1]

In the 1957 elections in Kerala, the Communist Party of India formed the government with the support of five independents.^[2] But in 1959, the Central Government dismissed the democratically elected government through the controversial Article 356 of the Indian Constitution following "The Liberation Struggle",^[3][4] even though the elected communist government was enjoying majority support within the legislature.^[5] After a short period of the President's rule, fresh elections were called in 1960.

There were 114 legislative assembly constituencies in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, 1957. Out of these 102 were single-member constituencies while the number of double-member constituencies was 12. One constituency was reserved for Schedule Caste. There were 64,77,665 electors in single-member constituencies, while in double-member constituencies there were 15,63,333 electors. Total 312 candidates contested for the 126 seats of the 114 constituencies in the Assembly.^[6] Poll percentage was 85.72%, an increase of 20.23% from 65.49% in 1957 assembly elections.

Four national parties, Communist Party of India, Indian National Congress, Praja Socialist Party and Bharatiya Jana Sangha along with the state party Muslim League took part in the assembly election.^[6] In these elections, the Indian National Congress, Praja Socialist Party, and Indian Union Muslim League formed a pre-poll alliance to counter the Communist Party of India.^[1] Together they fielded 125 candidates and supported an independent candidate, while the Communist Party of India fielded 108 candidates and gave party support to 16 independents.^[1]

Summary of results of the 1960 Kerala Legislative Assembly election^[6][7]

Political Party		Flag	Seats Contested	Won	Net Change in seats	% of Seats	Votes	Vote %	Change in vote %	Vote % in contested seats
	Bharatiya Jana Sangh		3	0	New	0	5,277	0.07	New	3.28
	Communist Party of India		108	29	31	23.02	3,171,732	39.14	3.86	43.79
	Indian National Congress		80	63	20	50.00	2,789,556	34.42	3.43	45.37
	Praja Socialist Party		33	20	11	15.87	1,146,028	14.14	3.38	38.41
	IUML		12	11	New	8.73	401,925	4.96	New	47.79
	Independent		61	3	11	4.17	488,699	5.93	-5.61	13.96
			Total Seats	126 ( 0)	Voters	9,604,331	Turnout	8,232,572 (85.72%)

^[8]

Congress and Praja Socialist Party alliance got the majority^[6] in the election and hence formed the government. Pattom A. Thanu Pillai of the Praja Socialist Party became the chief minister^[9] and R. Sankar of the Indian National Congress became the deputy chief minister on 22 February 1960, with eleven council ministers.^[1]

Pattam A. Thanu Pillai resigned on 26 September 1962 after he was appointed as the Governor of Punjab and R. Sankar became the first Congress Chief Minister of Kerala.

• The Liberation Struggle
• President's rule
• 1960 elections in India
• Pattom Thanupillai Ministry
• R. Sankar Ministry
• 1957 Kerala Legislative Assembly election