History of Punjab Legislative Assembly

Legislature of Punjab, India

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Punjab Legislative Assembly

Punjab Vidhan Sabha

16th Punjab Assembly
Type
Type|

Unicameral

History
Established| 1952
Preceded by| Interim East Punjab Assembly
Leadership

Speaker

Kultar Singh Sandhwan, AAP
since 21 March 2022

Deputy Speaker

Jai Krishan Singh, AAP
since 30 June 2022

Leader of the House
(Chief Minister)

Bhagwant Mann, AAP
since 16 March 2022

Deputy Leader of the House
(Cabinet Minister)

Harpal Singh Cheema, AAP
since 21 March 2022

Minister of Legislative Affairs

Ravjot Singh, AAP
since 23 September 2024

Leader of the Opposition

Partap Singh Bajwa, INC
since 9 April 2022

Deputy Leader of Opposition

Aruna Chaudhary, INC
since 3 September 2024

Structure
Seats| 117

Political groups

| Government (93)

*   AAP (93)[a]

Official Opposition (16)

*   INC (16)[b]

Other Opposition (7)

*   SAD (3)[c]
*   BJP (2)
*   BSP (1)
*   IND (1)

Vacant (1)

*   Vacant (1)

Length of term

| 5 years; renewable
Elections

Voting system

| First-past-the-post

First election

| 26 March 1952

Last election

| 20 February 2022

Next election

| 2027
Meeting place
Palace of Assembly, Chandigarh, India
Website
Punjab Legislative Assembly
Constitution
Constitution of India

The Punjab Legislative Assembly or the Punjab Vidhan Sabha is the unicameral legislature of the state of Punjab in India. The 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 the Secretary of the Assembly has been Mr. Surinder pal since April, 2021. The meeting place of the Legislative Assembly since 6 March 1961 is the Vidhan Bhavan in Chandigarh.

## History

[edit]

### British Raj

[edit]

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

[edit]

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.[6]

## Election results

[edit]

### Pre-Independence

[edit]

Punjab Legislative Council

Year  |  |  |  | Others  | Total

|
|
|
|
|

UoP | INC | IND
1920 | \-  | \-  | 71  | \-  | 71
1923 | 33  | 0  | 17  | 21
1926 | 31  | 2  | 12  | 26
1930 | 37  | 0  | 14  | 20

Punjab Provincial Assembly

Year  |  |  |  |  |  | Others  | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

UoP | INC | SAD | AIML | IND
1937 | 98 | 18  | 11  | 2  | 16  | 30  | 175
1946 | 19 | 51 | 21 | 73  | 11  | 0

### Post-Independence

[edit]

Years  | Majority  |  |  |  |  |  | Others  | Total

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

INC | SAD | AAP | BJP | IND
1952 |  | INC | 96 | 13  | ~  | ~  | 9  | 8  | 126
1957 |  | INC | 120 | ^  | 13  | 21  | 154
1962 |  | INC | 90 | 19  | 18  | 27
1967 |  | INC | 48  | ^  | 9 | 47 | 104
1969 |  | SAD | 38  | 43 | 4  | 17
1972 |  | INC | 66 | 24  | 3  | 11
1977 |  | SAD | 17  | 58 | 2  | 40  | 117
1980 |  | INC | 63 | 37  | 1  | 2  | 14
1985 |  | SAD | 32  | 73 | 6  | 4  | 2
1992 |  | INC | 87 | ^  | 6  | 4  | 20
1997 |  | SAD | 14  | 75 | 18 | 6  | 4
2002 |  | INC | 62 | 41  | 3  | 9  | 2
2007 |  | SAD | 44  | 49 | 19 | 5  | 0
2012 |  | SAD | 46  | 56 | 12 | 3  | 0
2017 |  | INC | 77 | 15  | 20  | 3  | 0  | 2
2022 |  | AAP | 18  | 3  | 92  | 2  | 1  | 1

* ^ \- Party didn't contest election
* ~ \- Party didn't exist
* Green color box indicates the party/parties who formed the government
* Red color box indicates the official opposition party

## List of Assemblies

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

Council
(Tenure) | Lieutenant-Governor

(President of Council)

| Tenure
(Presiding dates)[7][8]
1st
(1 November 1898 – 3 July 1909) | William Mackworth Young | 1 November 1897 – 6 March 1902
Sir Charles Montgomery Rivaz | 6 March 1902 – 6 March 1907
Sir Denzil Charles Jelf Ibbetson | 6 March 1907 - 26 May 1907
12 August 1907 - 22 January 1908
Sir Louis William Dane | 25 May 1908 - 3 January 1910
2nd
(3 January 1910 – 14 December 1912) | 3 January 1910 - 28 April 1911
4 August 1911 - 14 December 1912
14 December 1912 - 4 January 1913
3rd
(4 January 1913 – 19 April 1916) | 4 January 1913 – 26 May 1913
Sir Michael Francis O'Dwyer | 26 May 1913 – 12 June 1916
4th
(12 June 1916 – 6 April 1920) | 12 June 1916 – 26 May 1919
Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan | 26 May 1919 – 6 April 1920

### Punjab Legislative Council (1921-1936)

[edit]

Main article: Punjab legislative council (British India)

Punjab Legislative Council (1921-1936)

Council
(Tenure) | President  | Tenure[7] | Governor
1st
(8 January 1921 – 27 October 1923) | Montagu Sherard Dawes Butler | 8 January 1921  | 21 March 1922  | Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan
Herbert Alexander Casson | 10 May 1922  | 27 October 1923
2nd
(2 January 1924 – 27 October 1926) | 2 January 1924  | 16 January 1925  | Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan and Sir William Malcolm Hailey
Sheikh Abdul Qadir | 16 January 1925  | 4 September 1925
Sir Shahab-ud-Din Virk | 3 December 1925  | 27 October 1926
3rd
(3 January 1927 – 26 July 1930) | 4 January 1927  | 26 July 1930  | Sir William Malcolm Hailey and Sir G. F. Montmorency
4th
(24 October 1930 – 10 November 1936) | 25 October 1930  | 24 July 1936  | Sir G. F. Montmorency and Sir Herbert William Emerson
Chhotu Ram | 20 October 1936  | 10 November 1936

### Punjab Legislative Assembly

[edit]

Main article: Punjab Provincial Assembly (British India)

Punjab Provincial Assembly (1937-1947)

Assembly  | Tenure  | Leader of the House  | Premier  | Party formed government  | Note
First sitting  | Date of dissolution
1  | 5 April 1937  | 19 March 1945  | Sikandar Hayat Khan | Unionist Party |  | Assembly tenure extended due to World War II
Malik Khizar Hayat Tiwana | Assembly dissolved to conduct fresh and Impartial election
2  | 21 March 1946  | 4 July 1947  | Malik Khizar Hayat Tiwana  | Assembly dissolved since government resigned against Partition
Punjab Legislative Assembly (1947–present)
Assembly  | Tenure  | Leader of the House  | Chief Minister  | Party formed government  | Note
First sitting  | Date of dissolution
Interim | 1 November 1947  | 20 June 1951  | Gopi Chand Bhargava | Indian National Congress |  | Interim Assembly
Bhim Sen Sachar
Gopi Chand Bhargava
1st | 3 May 1952  | 31 March 1957  | Bhim Sen Sachar  |
Partap Singh Kairon
2nd | 24 April 1957  | 1 March 1962  | Partap Singh Kairon  |
3rd | 13 March 1962  | 28 February 1967  | Partap Singh Kairon  | Assembly under suspension from 5 July 1966 to 1 November 1966
Partap Singh Kairon  | Gopi Chand Bhargava
Ram Kishan
Ram Kishan  | Gurmukh Singh Musafir
4th | 20 March 1967  | 23 August 1968  | Gurnam Singh | Akali Dal - Sant Fateh Singh |  | Assembly dissolved prematurely
Lachhman Singh Gill | Punjab Janta Party |
5th | 13 March 1969  | 14 June 1971  | Gurnam Singh  | Shiromani Akali Dal |  | Assembly dissolved prematurely
Parkash Singh Badal
6th | 21 March 1972  | 30 April 1977  | Zail Singh | Indian National Congress |  | Assembly tenure extended by one month due to Emergency
7th | 30 June 1977  | 17 February 1980  | Parkash Singh Badal  | Shiromani Akali Dal |  | Assembly dissolved prematurely
8th | 23 June 1980  | 26 June 1985  | Darbara Singh | Indian National Congress |  | Assembly suspended from 6 October 1983 and later dissolved due to Insurgency on 26 June 1985.
9th | 14 October 1985  | 6 March 1988  | Surjit Singh Barnala | Shiromani Akali Dal |  | Assembly suspended prematurely due to Insurgency on 11 June 1987 and later on dissolved on 6 March 1988.
10  | 16 March 1992  | 11 February 1997  | Beant Singh | Indian National Congress |  | \-
Harcharan Singh Brar
Rajinder Kaur Bhattal
11 | 3 March 1997  | 26 February 2002  | Parkash Singh Badal  | Shiromani Akali Dal |  |
12  | 21 March 2002  | 27 February 2007  | Amarinder Singh | Indian National Congress |  |
13 | 1 March 2007  | 6 March 2012  | Parkash Singh Badal  | Shiromani Akali Dal |  |
14 | 19 March 2012  | 11 March 2017  | Parkash Singh Badal
15 | 24 March 2017  | 11 March 2022  | Amarinder Singh  | Indian National Congress |  |
Charanjit Singh Channi
16 | 17 March 2022  |  | Bhagwant Mann | Aam Aadmi Party |  |

## State under President's rule

[edit]

Punjab Provincial Assembly (1937-1947)

Assembly  | Governor's Rule  | Tenure  | Reason
1  | Governor's Rule  | 19 March 1945  | 21 March 1946  | 1 year, 2 days  | To conduct fresh and Impartial election
2  | 2 March 1947  | 15 August 1947  | 166 days  | Government resigned against the decision of Partition of India
Punjab Legislative Assembly (1947–present)
Assembly  | President's Rule  | Tenure  | Reason
Interim  | President's rule  | 20 June 1951  | 17 April 1952  | 302 days  | Assembly kept in suspension to help the state government get its act together and conduct fresh elections
3  | 5 July 1966  | 1 November 1966  | 119 days  | State administration was taken over, to facilitate bifurcation of Punjab state into, Punjab and Haryana
4  | 23 August 1968  | 17 February 1969  | 178 days  | Break-up of coalition
5  | 14 June 1971  | 17 March 1972  | 277 days  | Following the 1971 Lok Sabha Elections, incumbent Chief Minister advised dissolving state assembly and holding fresh elections
6  | 30 April 1977  | 20 June 1977  | 51 days  | To conduct the fresh election after Emergency in India
7  | 17 February 1980  | 6 June 1980  | 110 days  | Government dismissed in spite of Parkash Singh Badal enjoying majority support in Assembly
8  | 6 October 1983  | 29 September 1985  | 1 year, 358 days  | Insurgency and breakdown of law and order
9  | 11 June 1987  | 25 February 1992  | 4 years, 259 days  | Insurgency and breakdown of law and order

## See also

[edit]

* PEPSU
* Interim East Punjab Assembly
* List of governors of Punjab (India)
* List of constituencies of Punjab Legislative Assembly
* List of deputy chief ministers of Punjab, India
* List of speakers of the Punjab Legislative Assembly
* List of leaders of the opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ One of the AAP MLA, Kuwar Vijay Partap Singh[1] is suspended by Party from his anti-party activities. Thus he is not bound by the decisions of the legislative party in assembly, however, officially he is still the member of the Aam Aadmi Party as his party affiliation is yet to be decided by the speaker.
2. ^ Two members were suspended by congress because of their anti-party activities. These are Sandeep Jakhar[2] and Vikramjit Chaudhary,[3] thus they are not bound by the decisions of the legislative party in assembly, however, officially they are still member of the congress as their party affiliation is yet to be decided by the speaker.
3. ^ One of the three SAD MLAs, Sukhwinder Sukhi joined AAP on 14 August 2024.[4] As per Anti-defection law his membership will be decided by Speaker of Punjab Assembly.[5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "AAP suspended Kuwar Vijay Partap Singh for alleged anti-party activities". Times of India. 29 June 2025. Retrieved 10 July 2025.
2. ^ "Congress suspends Abohar MLA Sandeep Jakhar for 'anti-party' activities". Hindustan Times. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
3. ^ "Congress suspends Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Chaudhary for anti-party activities". Indian Express. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
4. ^ Punjab lawyer sends notice to banga mla seeks his resignation for defection from sad to aap.
5. ^ Punjab speaker seeks SAD MLA Sukhi's responsem on July 29.
6. ^ "Punjab Legislative Assembly". legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
7. ^ a b The Punjab Parliamentarians 1897-2013, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, Lahore - Pakistan, 2015
8. ^ "List of Former Governors - Pre Independence".

## External links

[edit]

* "Record of all Punjab Assembly Elections". eci.gov.in. Election Commission of India. Retrieved 14 March 2022.

* v
* t
* e

Punjab Legislative Assembly

| 1952|

1st Punjab Assembly

|

1957|

2nd Punjab Assembly

1962|

3rd Punjab Assembly

1967|

4th Punjab Assembly

| 1969|

5th Punjab Assembly

|

1972|

6th Punjab Assembly

1977|

7th Punjab Assembly

1980|

8th Punjab Assembly

| 1985|

9th Punjab Assembly

|

1992|

10th Punjab Assembly

1997|

11th Punjab Assembly

2002|

12th Punjab Assembly

| 2007|

13th Punjab Assembly

|

2012|

14th Punjab Assembly

2017|

15th Punjab Assembly

2022|

16th Punjab Assembly

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