Quick Facts
Biography
A. K. Balan (born 3 August 1951) is an Indian politician and Advocate. He was the Minister for Electricity and SC/ST Development in the Left Democratic Front government under V. S. Achuthanandan from 2006-2011 and a member of Central Committee of Communist Party of India (Marxist). He represents the Tarur constituency in the Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Career
Balan was born on 3 August 1951 to Kelappan and Kunhi at Chalappuram near Nadapuram in present day Kozhikode district, Kerala. He received his B.A. degree from Government Brennen College, Thalassery, and also holds an LL.B degree from Government Law College, Kozhikode. Balan entered politics through students movement and served as the President and the Secretary of Kerala State Committee of Students' Federation of India (SFI). He took part in 'Land Agitation' and imprisoned for 30 days in Kannur Central Prison. He was elected to Lok Sabha from Ottapalam constituency in 1980 and to Kerala Legislative Assembly from Kuzhalmannam in 2001.
He is first electricity minister of any state in Indian history to electrify a district completely. In February 2010, under his ministry Palakkad was declared first district in India to be fully electrified.
He is also having record of giving the most number of electricity connections to consumers in Kerala state.
Kerala also won the National Award for Energy Conservation during his period as minister. Now, he is the Minister for SC/ST, Law,Cultural Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs for the State of Kerala and the Central Committee member of CPIM