History of Punjab Legislative Assembly explained

The Punjab Legislative Assembly or the Punjab Vidhan Sabha is the unicameral legislature of the state of Punjab in India. Sixteenth Punjab Legislative Assembly was constituted in March 2022. At present, it consists of 117 members, directly elected from 117 single-seat constituencies. The tenure of the Legislative Assembly is five years unless dissolved sooner. The current Speaker of the Assembly is Kultar Singh Sandhwan and Secretary of the Assembly is Mr. Surinder pal since April, 2021. The meeting place of the Legislative Assembly since 6 March 1961 is the Vidhan Bhavan in Chandigarh.

History

British Raj

An Executive Council was formed under The Indian Councils Act, 1861. It was only under the Government of India Act 1919 that a Legislative Council was set up in Punjab. Later, under the Government of India Act 1935, the Punjab Legislative Assembly was constituted with a membership of 175. It was summoned for the first time on 1 April 1937. In 1947, Punjab Province was partitioned into West Punjab and East Punjab and the East Punjab Legislative Assembly was formed, the forerunner of the current assembly consisting of 79 members.

1947 – present

On 15 July 1948, eight princely states of East Punjab grouped together to form a single state, Patiala and East Punjab States Union. The Punjab State Legislature was a bicameral house in April 1952, comprising the Vidhan Sabha (lower house) and Vidhan Parishad (upper house). In 1956 that state was largely merged into Punjab, the strength of the Vidhan Parishad of the new State of Punjab was enhanced from 40 seats to 46 seats and in 1957, it was increased to 51. Punjab was trifurcated in 1966 to form Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Punjab. The Vidhan Parishad was reduced to 40 seats and the Vidhan Sabha was grown by 50 seats to 104 seats. On 1 January 1970, the Vidhan Parishad was abolished leaving the state with a unicameral legislature.[1]

Election results

Pre-Independence

Punjab Legislative Council

Yearbgcolor=blueOthers Total
UoPINCIND
1920--71-71
19233301721
19263121226
19303701420

Punjab Provincial Assembly

Yearbgcolor=blueOthers Total
UoPINCSADAIMLIND
193798181121630175
194619512173110

Post-Independence

YearsMajorityOthers Total
INCSADAAPBJPIND
19529613~~98126
1957120^1321154
196290191827
196748^947104
19693843417
19726624311
19771758240117
198063371214
19853273642
199287^6420
199714751864
20026241392
200744491950
201246561230
2017771520302
202218392211

List of Assemblies

Council of Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab (1897-1920)

Council of Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab (1897-1920)
Council
Lieutenant-Governor(President of Council)Tenure
[2] [3]
1st
William Mackworth Young1 November 1897 – 6 March 1902
Sir Charles Montgomery Rivaz6 March 1902 – 6 March 1907
Sir Denzil Charles Jelf Ibbetson6 March 1907 - 26 May 1907
12 August 1907 - 22 January 1908
Sir Louis William Dane25 May 1908 - 3 January 1910
2nd
3 January 1910 - 28 April 1911
4 August 1911 - 14 December 1912
14 December 1912 - 4 January 1913
3rd
4 January 1913 – 26 May 1913
Sir Michael Francis O'Dwyer26 May 1913 – 12 June 1916
4th
12 June 1916 – 26 May 1919
Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan26 May 1919 – 6 April 1920

Punjab Legislative Council (1921-1936)

See main article: Punjab legislative council (British India).

Punjab Legislative Council (1921-1936)
Council
PresidentTenureGovernor
1st
Montagu Sherard Dawes Butler8 January 192121 March 1922Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan
Herbert Alexander Casson10 May 192227 October 1923
2nd
2 January 192416 January 1925Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan and Sir William Malcolm Hailey
Sheikh Abdul Qadir16 January 19254 September 1925
Sir Shahab-ud-Din Virk3 December 192527 October 1926
3rd
4 January 192726 July 1930Sir William Malcolm Hailey and Sir G. F. Montmorency
4th
25 October 193024 July 1936Sir G. F. Montmorency and Sir Herbert William Emerson
Chhotu Ram20 October 193610 November 1936

Punjab Legislative Assembly

See main article: Punjab Provincial Assembly (British India).

Punjab Provincial Assembly (1937-1947)
Assembly TenurePremierParty formed government Note
First sitting Date of dissolution
15 April 193719 March 1945Sikandar Hayat KhanUnionist PartyAssembly tenure extended due to World War II
Malik Khizar Hayat TiwanaAssembly dissolved to conduct fresh and Impartial election
221 March 19464 July 1947Malik Khizar Hayat TiwanaAssembly dissolved since government resigned against Partition
Punjab Legislative Assembly (1947–present)
AssemblyTenureChief MinisterParty formed governmentNote
First sittingDate of dissolution
Interim1 November 194720 June 1951Gopi Chand BhargavaIndian National CongressInterim Assembly
Bhim Sen Sachar
Gopi Chand Bhargava
1st3 May 195231 March 1957Bhim Sen Sachar
Partap Singh Kairon
2nd24 April 19571 March 1962Partap Singh Kairon
3rd13 March 196228 February 1967Partap Singh KaironAssembly under suspension from 5 July 1966 to 1 November 1966
Gopi Chand Bhargava
Ram Kishan
Gurmukh Singh Musafir
4th20 March 196723 August 1968Gurnam SinghAkali Dal - Sant Fateh SinghAssembly dissolved prematurely
Lachhman Singh GillPunjab Janta Party
5th13 March 196914 June 1971Gurnam SinghShiromani Akali DalAssembly dissolved prematurely
Parkash Singh Badal
6th21 March 197230 April 1977Zail SinghIndian National CongressAssembly tenure extended by one month due to Emergency
7th30 June 197717 February 1980Parkash Singh BadalShiromani Akali DalAssembly dissolved prematurely
8th23 June 198026 June 1985Darbara SinghIndian National CongressAssembly suspended from 6 October 1983 and later dissolved due to Insurgency
9th14 October 198511 May 1987Surjit Singh BarnalaShiromani Akali DalAssembly dissolved prematurely due to Insurgency
1016 March 199211 February 1997Beant SinghIndian National Congress-
Harcharan Singh Brar
Rajinder Kaur Bhattal
113 March 199726 February 2002Parkash Singh BadalShiromani Akali Dal
1221 March 200227 February 2007Amarinder SinghIndian National Congress
131 March 20076 March 2012Parkash Singh BadalShiromani Akali Dal
1419 March 201211 March 2017Parkash Singh Badal
1524 March 201711 March 2022Amarinder SinghIndian National Congress
Charanjit Singh Channi
1617 March 2022Bhagwant MannAam Aadmi Partybgcolor=

State under President's rule

Punjab Provincial Assembly (1937-1947)
AssemblyGovernor's Rule TenureReason
1Governor's Rule 19 March 194521 March 1946To conduct fresh and Impartial election
22 March 194715 August 1947Government resigned against the decision of Partition of India
Punjab Legislative Assembly (1947–present)
Assembly President's RuleTenureReason
InterimPresident's rule 20 June 195117 April 1952Assembly kept in suspension to help the state government get its act together and conduct fresh elections
35 July 19661 November 1966State administration was taken over, to facilitate bifurcation of Punjab state into, Punjab and Haryana
423 August 196817 February 1969Break-up of coalition
514 June 197117 March 1972Following the 1971 Lok Sabha Elections, incumbent Chief Minister advised dissolving state assembly and holding fresh elections
630 April 197720 June 1977To conduct the fresh election after Emergency in India
717 February 19806 June 1980Government dismissed in spite of Parkash Singh Badal enjoying majority support in Assembly
86 October 198329 September 1985Insurgency and breakdown of law and order
911 June 198725 February 1992Insurgency and breakdown of law and order

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Punjab Legislative Assembly . legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in . 16 January 2020.
  2. The Punjab Parliamentarians 1897-2013, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, Lahore - Pakistan, 2015
  3. Web site: List of Former Governors - Pre Independence.

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