1996 Pondicherry Legislative Assembly election

{{Short description|none}}

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

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

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1996 Pondicherry Legislative Assembly election

| country = India

| type = legislative

| vote_type = Popular

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1991 Pondicherry Legislative Assembly election

| previous_year = 1991

| election_date = 27 April 1996

| next_election = 2001 Pondicherry Legislative Assembly election

| next_year = 2001

| seats_for_election = 30 seats in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly

| majority_seats = 16

| registered = {{formatnum:633635}}

| turnout = 75.33%

| image_size = 100px

| party1 = Indian National Congress

| image1 = 100px

| leader1 = V. Vaithilingam

| leaders_seat1 =

| leader_since1 =

| seats1 = 9

| seats_before1 = 15

| popular_vote1 = 28.39%

| seat_change1 = {{decrease}}6

| party2 = Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

| image2 = 100px

| leader2 = R. V. Janakiraman

| leaders_seat2 =

| leader_since2 =

| seats2 = 7

| seats_before2 = 4

| popular_vote2 = 25.65%

| seat_change2 = {{increase}}3

| title = CM

| before_party = Indian National Congress

| before_election = V. Vaithilingam

| after_party = Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

| after_election = R. V. Janakiraman

}}

Elections to the Puducherry Legislative Assembly were held in April 1996, to elect members of the 30 constituencies in Puducherry (then known as Pondicherry), in India.{{cite web |url=https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2021/03/26/explained-puducherry-the-territory-of-coalitions-and-presidents-rule.html |title=Explained: Puducherry, the territory of coalitions and President's Rule |magazine=The Week (Indian magazine) |date=26 March 2021 |quote=9th election: 1996 - The Congress was the single-largest party in the 1996 election in Puducherry, winning nine seats with a vote share of 25 per cent. The DMK, its principle adversary, won seven seats, with a vote share of nearly 23 per cent |access-date= 4 September 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://ceopuducherry.py.gov.in/PDF/Se1996.PDF |title=Union Territory of Pondicherry Assembly - General Elections - 1996 |access-date= 4 September 2022}} The Indian National Congress won the most seats, but the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won the popular vote, and R. V. Janakiraman was appointed as the Chief Minister of Puducherry.{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/puducherry/former-puducherry-chief-minister-rv-janakiraman-dead/articleshow/69721586.cms |title=Former Puducherry chief minister RV Janakiraman dead |date=10 June 2019 |author=Bosco Dominique |website=The Times of India |access-date= 6 September 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in/STATISTICAL/pondicherry.HTML |title=Pondicherry Legislative Assembly |access-date=8 September 2022}}