The Electoral Process in India’s State of Arunachal Pradesh: A Historical Analysis

Abstract

In Arunachal Pradesh, the electoral process and party politics make a late entry as the state’s political scenario differed from the rest of India. The political journey undertaken by the state witnessed many ups and downs to reaching the current political stage. Arunachal Pradesh, a tribal-dominated state in northeastern India, has been in isolation for a long time from the modernday concept of electoral politics and party activities in the state. The sociopolitico functions of the state were governed by its distinct traditional village councils known differently by different tribes, such as the Abala system of the Idu Mishmi tribe, Buliyang of Apatani tribe, Kebang among the Adi tribe, Nyaly among the Nishi tribe, so on. The functioning and legitimization of the modern representative democratic process in the state were expressed with the introduction of Panchayati raj institutions in 1969, and adult franchise rights were extended to Arunachal people in Panchayat elections in the year 1972. On 15th August 1975, the provincial legislative Assembly was established in Arunachal Pradesh. Conversion of the Pradesh Council and counsellor into the provincial Legislative Assembly continues until today. This Article gives a historical account of the Assembly and parliamentary elections in Arunachal Pradesh. The paper also analyzed and explained how the electoral process started in India’s Eastern state and how it evolved