List of speakers of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly


The Speaker is the presiding officer of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, the main law-making body for the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The speaker is elected by the members of the assembly, from amongst them.

President of the Madras Legislative Council

Madras Legislative Council, the first representative legislature for the Madras Presidency was established in December 1920. The presiding officer of the council was known as the president. P. Rajagopalachari was nominated as the first president and took office on 17 December 1920.
No.NameImageAssumed officeLeft office
1P. RajagopalachariDecember 1920February 1925
2L. D. Swamikannu PillaiFebruary 1925September 1925
3M. RatnaswamiSeptember 19251926
4C. V. S. Narasimha Raju19261930
5B. Ramachandra Reddi19301937

Chairman of Madras Legislative Council

The Government of India Act 1935 enabled the introduction of provincial autonomy in 1937, and the Madras Legislative Council became the [upper chamber of a bicameral legislature. The presiding officer of the council was called as the chairman of the council. This agreement continued after Indian Independence till the abolition of the council in 1986.

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Madras Presidency

The Madras Legislative Assembly was established as a part of the bicameral legislature in 1937. The presiding officer of the assembly was known as the speaker.

Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Madras State

Madras State, the precursor to the present day state of Tamil Nadu, was created after India became a republic on 26 January 1950. It comprised present-day Tamil Nadu and parts of present-day Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. The first legislature of the Madras State to be elected on the basis of universal suffrage was constituted on 1 March 1952, after the general elections held in January 1952.

Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly

Madras State was renamed as Tamil Nadu in January 1969.