| Post: | Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly |
| Insignia: | Seal of Punjab.svg |
| Insigniasize: | 90px |
| Insigniacaption: | Emblem of Punjab |
| Incumbentsince: | 9 April 2022 |
| Termlength: | Five years, No restriction on renewal |
| Appointer: | Speaker of Punjab assembly |
| Nominator: | Members of Official Opposition |
| Deputy: | Vacant |
| Formation: | 6 April 1937; ago |
| Inaugural: | Gopi Chand Bhargava |
| Flagcaption: | Banner of Punjab |
| Flag: | Banner of Punjab, India.svg |
The Leader of the Opposition is the politician who leads the official opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly.
Official Opposition[1] is a term used in Punjab Legislative Assembly to designate the political party which has secured the second largest number of seats Punjab assembly. In order to get formal recognition, the party must have at least 10% of total membership of the Legislative Assembly. A single party has to meet the 10% seat criterion, not an alliance. Many of the Indian state legislatures also follows this 10% rule while the rest of them prefer single largest opposition party according to the rules of their respective houses. Punjab Legislative Assembly appointed the member of the second largest party as Leader of opposition.[2]
The Opposition's main role is to question the government of the day and hold them accountable to the public. The Opposition is equally responsible in upholding the best interests of the people of the country. They have to ensure that the Government does not take any steps, which might have negative effects on the people of the country.[3]
The role of the opposition in legislature is basically to check the excesses of the ruling or dominant party, and not to be totally antagonistic. There are actions of the ruling party which may be beneficial to the masses and opposition is expected to support such steps.[4]
In legislature, Opposition Party has a major role and must act to discourage the party in power from acting against the interests of the country and the common man. They are expected to alert the population and the Government on the content of any Bill, which is not in the best interests of the country.
Color keys for the party of leaders of the opposition
| Name | Portrait | Tenure | Party | Assembly | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before independence | ||||||||
| 1 | Gopi Chand Bhargava | 5 April 1937 | 1940 | Indian National Congress | 1st | |||
| 2 | Bhim Sen Sachar | 1940 | 5 February 1945 | |||||
| - | Vacant | 5 February 1945 | 21 March 1946 | - | - | |||
| 3 | Iftikhar Hussain Khan | 21 March 1946 | 2 March 1947 | All-India Muslim League | 2nd | |||
| - | Vacant | 2 March 1947 | 15 August 1947 | - | - | |||
| (Punjab, Haryana and Himachal) (1947–1966) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Portrait | Tenure | Party | Assembly | ||||
| - | Vacant | 15 August 1947 | 17 April 1952 | - | Interim Assembly | |||
| 1 | Gopal Singh khalsa | 17 April 1952 | 11 April 1956 | Shiromani Akali Dal | 1st | |||
| - | Vacant | 11 April 1956 | 9 April 1957 | - | ||||
| 2 | Baldev Prakash | 9 April 1957 | 11 March 1962 | Bharatiya Jana Sangh | 2nd | |||
| 3 | Gurnam Singh | 11 March 1962 | 5 July 1966 | Shiromani Akali Dal | 3rd | |||
| - | Vacant | 5 July 1966 | 1 November 1966 | |||||
| Since 1966 (Punjab) | ||||||||
| Gurnam Singh | 1 November 1966 | 8 March 1967 | Shiromani Akali Dal | 3rd | ||||
| 4 | Gian Singh Rarewala | 9 March 1967 | 24 November 1967 | Indian National Congress | 4th | |||
| Gurnam Singh | 24 November 1967 | 23 August 1968 | Akali Dal - Sant Fateh Singh | |||||
| - | Vacant | 23 August 1968 | 17 February 1969 | - | - | |||
| 5 | Major Harinder Singh | 17 February 1969 | 14 June 1971 | Indian National Congress | 5th | |||
| - | Vacant | 14 June 1971 | 16 March 1972 | - | - | |||
| 6 | Jaswinder Singh Brar | 16 March 1972 | 2 October 1972 | Shiromani Akali Dal | 6th | |||
| 7 | Prakash Singh Badal | 2 October 1972 | 30 April 1977 | |||||
| - | Vacant | 30 April 1977 | 19 June 1977 | - | - | |||
| 8 | Balram Jakhar | 19 June 1977 | 17 February 1980 | Indian National Congress | 7th | |||
| - | Vacant | 17 February 1980 | 7 June 1980 | - | - | |||
| Prakash Singh Badal | 7 June 1980 | 7 October 1983 | Shiromani Akali Dal | 8th | ||||
| - | Vacant | 7 October 1983 | 29 September 1985 | - | - | |||
| 9 | Gurbinder Kaur Brar | 29 September 1985 | 11 May 1987 | Indian National Congress | 9th | |||
| - | Vacant | 11 May 1987 | 25 February 1992 | - | - | |||
| 10 | Satnam Singh Kainth | 25 February 1992 | 12 February 1997 | Bahujan Samaj Party | 10th | |||
| 11 | Rajinder Kaur Bhattal | 12 February 1997 | 10 October 1998 | Indian National Congress | 11th | |||
| 12 | Chaudhary Jagjit Singh | 10 October 1998 | 26 February 2002 | |||||
| Prakash Singh Badal | 26 February 2002 | 1 March 2007 | Shiromani Akali Dal | 12th | ||||
| Rajinder Kaur Bhattal | 1 March 2007 | 14 March 2012 | Indian National Congress | 13th | ||||
| 13 | Sunil Kumar Jakhar | 14 March 2012 | 11 December 2015 | 14th | ||||
| 14 | Charanjit Singh Channi | 11 December 2015 | 11 November 2016 | |||||
| - | Vacant | 11 November 2016 | 16 March 2017 | - | ||||
| 15 | Harvinder Singh Phoolka | 16 March 2017 | 9 July 2017 | Aam Aadmi Party | 15th | |||
| 16 | Sukhpal Singh Khaira | 9 July 2017 | 26 July 2018 | |||||
| 17 | Harpal Singh Cheema | 27 July 2018 | 16 March 2022 | |||||
| 18 | Partap Singh Bajwa | 9 April 2022 | Incumbent | Indian National Congress | 16th | |||