1996 Assam Legislative Assembly election

{{Short description|Legislative Assembly election in Assam, India}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}

{{Use Indian English|date=June 2022}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1996 Assam Legislative Assembly election

| country = India

| type = legislative

| vote_type = Popular

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1991 Assam Legislative Assembly election

| previous_year = 1991

| election_date = 27 April 1996

| next_election = 2001 Assam Legislative Assembly election

| next_year = 2001

| seats_for_election = 122 seats in the Assam Legislative Assembly

| majority_seats = 62

| registered = {{formatnum:12119125}}

| turnout = 78.92%

| image_size = 100px

| party1 = Asom Gana Parishad

| image1 = {{CSS image crop|Image=The former Chief Minister of Assam, Shri Prafulla Kumar Mahanta calling on the Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge), Dr. Mahesh Sharma, in New Delhi on July 20, 2017 (cropped).jpg|bSize=100|cWidth=80|cHeight=100|oLeft=10|oTop=0}}

| leader1 = Prafulla Kumar Mahanta

| leaders_seat1 =

| leader_since1 =

| seats1 = 59

| seats_before1 =

| popular_vote1 = 29.70%

| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 40

| party2 = Indian National Congress

| image2 = {{CSS image crop|Image=Hiteswar Saikia with Shankar Dayal Sharma (cropped).jpg|bSize=100|cWidth=80|cHeight=100|oLeft=10|oTop=10}}

| leader2 = Hiteswar Saikia

| leaders_seat2 =

| leader_since2 =

| seats2 = 34

| seats_before2 =

| popular_vote2 = 30.56%

| seat_change2 = {{decrease}} 32

| title = CM

| before_party = Indian National Congress

| before_election = Bhumidhar Barman

| after_party = Asom Gana Parishad

| after_election = Prafulla Kumar Mahanta

}}

Elections to the Assam Legislative Assembly were held in April 1996 to elect members of 114 constituencies in Assam, India. The Indian National Congress (INC) won the popular vote, but the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) won the most seats and Prafulla Kumar Mahanta was appointed as the Chief Minister of Assam for his second term.{{cite web |url=https://theshillongtimes.com/2021/03/09/former-cm-prafulla-mahanta-not-to-contest-assam-polls/ |title=Former CM Prafulla Mahanta not to contest Assam polls |quote=Mahanta has represented the seat for as many as seven terms from 1985, having served as chief minister for two terms from 1985-90 and 1996-2001, in between. |newspaper=The Shillong Times |date=9 March 2021 |access-date= 14 April 2022}}{{cite web |url=http://assamassembly.gov.in/cm-list.html |title=Assam Legislative Assembly - Chief Ministers since 1937 |publisher=Assam Legislative Assembly |access-date= 13 May 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060513013923/http://assamassembly.gov.in/cm-list.html |archive-date=13 May 2006}} The number of constituencies was set as 126, by the recommendation of the Delimitation Commission of India,{{cite web |url=https://old.eci.gov.in/files/file/3939-dpaco-1976/ |title=DPACO (1976) - Archive Delimitation Orders |publisher=Election Commission of India |access-date= December 9, 2020}} but elections were held in only 122 constituencies. The constituencies of Dispur, Dergaon, Nazira and Margherita did not go to polls immediately, but they had polls in November 1996.