1937 Punjab Provincial Assembly election

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1937 Punjab Provincial Assembly election
British Raj Red Ensign.svg
1936-37 1946  

175 seats of the Punjab Provincial Assembly
88 seats needed for a majority
Turnout64.23%
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan.png Gopi Chand Bhargava.png Sardar Sundar Singh Majithia.png
Leader Sikandar Hayat Khan Gopi Chand Bhargava Sundar Singh Majithia
Party Unionist INC KNP
Leader's seatNorth Punjab (Landholders) (Muhammadans)Lahore City (General-Urban)Batala (Sikh-Rural)
Seats won981812

Punjab region.svg

Elected Premier

Sikandar Hayat Khan
Unionist

First Provincial assembly election was held in Punjab in the winter of 1936-37 as mandated by the Government of India Act 1935.

Contents

Background

After the passing of Government of India act 1935, Provincial assembly was set up in Punjab. It consisted 175 constituencies. Out of these 159 were single-member constituencies and 8 were double-members constituencies. In double-members constituencies one was reserved for the Schedule Caste according to Poona Pact. [1] In double constituencies each voter had two votes to cast his vote, one for SC candidate and one for general candidate but considered as one vote to calculate voter turnout.

All 175 constituencies were reserved on the basis of religion. It was as follows:-

Constituency TypeUrbanRuralTotal
General83442
Muhammadans97584
Sikhs22931
Special^--18
Total19138175

^Special constituencies (non-territory constituency) were further divided into Categories and sub-categories as follow:-

Election schedule

The election schedule was as follows:- [2]

Election programDate
Filing of nominations23 November 1936
Scrutiny of nominations30 November 1936
Polling1 December 1936
Counting2 and 7 December 1936
Counting in Special constituencies21 January 1937

Voter Statistics

During 1937 election there were total 27,84,646 voters. Out of these 64.23% voters cast their votes.

26,66,149 voters were in Territorial Constituencies and 1,18,497 were in Non-Territorial Constituencies.

In territorial constituencies the highest number of voters (39,290) were in '24-Hoshiarpur West (General-Rural)' and lowest number of voters (5,496) were in '62-Tarn Taran (Muhammadan-Rural)'. The highest vote turnout (89.87%) registered in '81-Shahpur (Muhammadan-Rural)' and lowest (3.93%) registered in '122-Ambala North (Sikh-Rural)'.

In Non-Territorial Constituencies the highest number of voters (58,106) were in '153-Amritsar (Women-Sikh)' and lowest number of voters (10) were in '163-Baluch Tumandars (Landholders)'. Highest vote turnout (98.35%) was registered in '158-Punjab Commerce and Industry (Commerce and Industry)' and lowest (40.53%) registered in '151-Inner Lahore (Women-Mohammadan)'.

Results

1937 Punjab Provincial Assembly election result.svg
PartySeats won
Unionist Party
(UoP)
98
Indian National Congress
(INC)
18
Khalsa National Party
(KNP)
13
Hindu Election Board
(HEB)
12
Shiromani Akali Dal
(SAD)
11
Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam
(MAI)
4
All-India Muslim League
(AIML)
2
Congress Nationalist Party
(CNP)
1
Independents
(IND)
16
Total175
Source= [3]

Category wise result

S. No.PartyCategory (Seats)
General Urban (8)General Rural (34)Muhammadans Urban (9)Muhammadans Rural (75)Sikh Urban (2)Sikh Rural (29)Special (18)Total (175)
1Unionist Party-15372-2698
2Indian National Congress73-2-4218
3Khalsa National Party----210113
4Hindu Election Board19----212
5Shiromani Akali Dal-----10111
6Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam--4----4
7All-India Muslim League--11---2
8Congress Nationalist Party-1-----1
9Independents-61--3616

Special (18)

Constituency wise result

Group Photo of Member of Punjab Provincial Assembly in 1937. Members of Punjab Provincial Assembly 1st.jpg
Group Photo of Member of Punjab Provincial Assembly in 1937.

Color key for the Party of Candidates

Other color keys

General Urban

S. No.Cons. No.ConstituencyWinnerParty
11Southern TownsShri Ram SharmaIndian National Congress
22South-Eastern TownsDeshbandhu Gupta
33Eastern TownsSudarshan Seth
44Lahore CityGopi Chand Bhargava
55Amritsar CitySant Ram Seth
66North-Eastern TownsKrishan Gopal Dutt
77North-Western TownsBhimsen Sachar
88South-Western TownsShiv DayalHindu Election Board

General Rural

S. No.Cons. No.ConstituencyWinnerParty
99Hissar SouthHey RamUnionist Party
1010HansiSuraj Mal
1111Hissar NorthAtma RamIndependent
1212Rohtak NorthChaudhary Tika RamUnionist Party
1313Rohtak CentralRam Sarup
1414JhajjarChottu Ram
1515North-western GurgaonRao Balbir SinghHindu Election Board
1616South-Eastern GurgaonPrem SinghUnionist Party
17South-Eastern GurgaonSumer Singh
1817Karnal SouthAnant Ram
1918Karnal NorthChaudhary Ranpat
20Karnal NorthChaudhary Faqira
2119Ambala-SimlaDuni ChandIndian National Congress
22Ambala-SimlaJugal KishoreIndependent
2320Kangra
North
Gopal DasHindu Election Board
2421Kangra SouthDina Nath
2522Kangra EastBagwant SinghIndependent
2623Kangra WestBhagat Ram Sharma
2724Hoshiarpur WestKartar SinghIndian National Congress
28Hoshiarpur WestMula SinghIndependent
2925UnaRai Hari ChandUnionist Party
3026JullundharBhagat Ram ChodaCongress Nationalist Party
31JullundharSeth Krishan DasUnionist Party
3227Ludhiana-FerozpurMuni Lal KaliaIndian National Congress
33Ludhiana-FerozpurGopal SinghUnionist Party
3428Western LahoreGokul Chand NarangHindu Election Board
3529Amritsar-SialkotChaudhary Rai
36Amritsar-SialkotBhagat Hans RajUnionist Party
3730GurdaspurRipudaman SinghHindu Election Board
3831RawalpindiMukund Lal
3932South-Eastern MultanGirdhari LalIndependent
4033Layallpur JhangSeth Ram Narain AroraHindu Election Board
41Layallpur JhangHarnam DasUnionist Party
4234West MultanSham LalHindu Election Board

Muhammadan Urban

S. No.Cons. No.ConstituencyWinnerParty
4335Southern TownsGulam SamadUnionist Party
4436South-Eastern TownsMian Abdul Haye
4537Eastern TownsBarkat AliAll-India Muslim League
4638Inner LahoreKhalid Latif GaubaUnionist Party
4739Outer LahoreAbdul AzizMajlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam
4840Amritsar CitySaiffudin KitchlewIndependent
4941North-Eastern TownsMazhar Ali AzharMajlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam
5042Rawalpindi TownsSheikh Muhammad Alam
5143Multan TownsGhulam Hussain

Muhammadan Rural

S. NoCons. No.ConstituencyWinnerParty
5244HissarSaheb daad KhanUnionist Party
5345RohtakShafi Ali Khan
5446North-Western GurgaonYasin Khan
5547South-Eastern GurgaonAbdur Rahim
5648KarnalFaiz Ali
5749Ambala-SimlaAbdul Hamid Khan
5850Kangra East-HoshiarpurRai Faiz Khan
5951Hoshiarpur WestRana Nasrullah Khan
6052Jullundur NorthAbdur Rahman
6153Jullundur SouthAbdur Raab
6254LudhianaMohammed HassanIndian National Congress
6355Ferozpur CentralShah Nawaz Khan MamdotUnionist Party
6456Ferozpur EasternAmjad Ali Khan
6557FazilkaPir Akbar Ali
6658Lahore SouthMuzaffar Ali Khan Qizilibash
6759ChunianMuhammad Husain
6860KasurIftik HaruddinIndian National Congress
6961AmritsarMaqbul MahmudUnionist Party
7062Tarn TaranFaqir Hussain Khan
7163AjanalaFazl Din
7264Gurdaspur EastAli Akbar
7365BatalaBadar Mohy-ud-din Qadri
7466ShakargarhAbdur Rahim
7567Sialkot NorthShahab-ud-din
7668Sialkot CenterGhulam Rasul Cheema
7769Sialkot SouthShahab-ud-din Virk
7870Gujranwala NorthNasiruddin Chatha
7971Gujranwala EastHusain Bhinder
8072HafizabadRiasat Ali Chatha
8173SheikhupuraGhulam Mohy-ud-din Qasuri
8274Nankana SahibKaramat Ali
8375ShahdaraAfzal Ali Shah Hasni
8476Gujarat NorthFateh Mohammed
8577Gujarat EastFazal Ali Khan
8678South-Eastern GujaratMohammed Khan
8779North-Western GujaratAhmed Yar Khan
8880South-Western GujaratMohammed Ashraf
8981ShahpurAllah Baksh Khan Tiwana
9082KhushabMalik Khizar Hayat Tiwana
9183BhalwalUmar Hayat Khan
9284SargodhaHabibullah Khan Tiwana
9385JehlumMohammed Khan Akram
9486Pind Dadan KhanGazanfar Ali KhanAll-India Muslim League
9587ChabwalSarfraj Ali KhanUnionist Party
9688Rawalpindi SadarYusuf Khan
9789Gujar KhanFarman Ali Khan
9890Rawalpindi EastRaja Fateh Khan
9991Attock NorthMuzaffar Khan
10092Attock CentralMohammed Nawaz Khan
10193Attock South Mohy-ud-din Lal Badshah
10294Mianwali NorthGulam Qadir Khan
10395Mianwali SouthMuzaffar Khan
10496MontgomeryFateh Sher Khan Langrial
10597OkaraJehangir Khan
10698DipalpurNur Ahmed Maneka
10799PakpattanSultan Ahmed Hatiana
108100LyallpurMohammed Nurullah
109101SamunduriSadat Ali Khan
110102Toba Tek SinghPir Nasir-ud-din Shah
111103JaranwalRai Shahadat Ali Khan
112104Jhang EastNawazish Ali Khan
113105Jhang CentralMubarak Ali Shah
114106Jhang WestTalib Hussain Khan
115107MultanAshiq Hussain Qureshi
116108ShujabadRaja Shah Gilani
117109LodhranVilayat Hussain Shah
118110MailsiAhmad Yar Khan Doultana
119111KhanewalHabit Khan Daha
120112KabirwalaWali Mohammed Sial Hiraz
121113Muzaffargarh SadarFazl Karim Baksh Qureshi
122114AlipurMohammed Hasan
123115Muzaffargarh NorthMushtaq Ahmad Gurmani
124116Dera Gaji Khan NorthGulam Murtaza
125117Dera Gaji Khan CentralFaiz Mohammed
126118Dera Gaji Khan SouthHusain Khan Gurchani

Sikh Urban

S. No.Cons. No.ConstituencyWinnerParty
127119Eastern TownsSantokh SinghKhalsa National Party
128120Western TownsUjjal Singh

Sikh Rural

S. No.Cons. No.ConstituencyWinnerParty
129121South-Eastern PunjabNarotam SinghShiromani Akali Dal
130122Ambala NorthBaldev Singh
131123Kangara North-HoshiarpurHari Singh
132124Hoshiarpur SouthHarjab SinghIndian National Congress
133125Jullundur WestGurbachan SinghKhalsa National Party
134126Jullundur EastKabul SinghIndian National Congress
135127Ludhiana EastKapur SinghIndependent
136128Ludhiana CentralLal Singh KamlaUnionist Party
137129JagraonDasaundha SinghKhalsa National Party
138130Ferozpur NorthSodhi Harnam SinghKhalsa National Party
139131Ferozpur EastRur SinghIndian National Congress
140132Ferozpur WestPritam Singh SidhuIndependent
141133Ferozpur SouthTara SinghShiromani Akali Dal
142134Lahore WestTehja SinghIndian National Congress
143135KasurChanan SinghShiromani Akali Dal
144136Amritsar NorthSohan Singh JoshUnionist Party
145137Amritsar CentralBasakha SinghKhalsa National Party
146138Amritsar SouthPartap Singh KaironShiromani Akali Dal
147139Gurdaspur NorthInder SinghKhalsa National Party
148140BatalaSundar Singh Majithia
149141SialkotBalwant SinghIndependent
150142Gujranwala-ShahadaraJoginder SinghKhalsa National Party
151143Sheikhupura WestNaunihal Singh Mann
152144Gujarat ShahpurPrem SinghShiromani Akali Dal
153145North-Western PunjabUttam Singh DuggalKhalsa National Party
154146Montgomery EastJagjit Singh BediShiromani Akali Dal
155147Lyallpur WestSampuran Singh
156148Lyallpur EastGiani Kartar Singh
157149South-Western PunjabAjit SinghKhalsa National Party

Special

S. NoCons. No.ConstituencyWinnerParty
Women
158150Lahore City (General)Parbhati DeviIndian National Congress
159151Inner Lahore (Muhammadan)Rashida LatifIndependent
160152Outer Lahore (Muhammadan)Jahanara Shah Nawaz
161153Amritsar South (Sikh)Raghbir KaurShiromani Akali Dal
Anglo-Indian
162154Punjab Anglo-IndianE. FewIndependent
European
163155EuropeanWilliam RobertsIndependent
Indian Christian
164156East-Central PunjabS. P. SinghaUnionist Party
165157West-Central PunjabJalal-ud-din Amber
Commerce and Industry
166158Punjab Commerce and IndustryBinda SaranIndependent
Landholders
167159Eastern Punjab (General)Raja Narender NathHindu Election Board
168160Central Punjab (Sikh)Jagjit SinghKhalsa National Party
169161Northern Punjab (Muhammadan)Sikandar Hayat KhanUnionist Party
170162Western Punjab (Muhammadan)Hayat Khan Noon
171163Baluch Tumandars (Muhammadan)Jamal Khan Leghari
Trade and Labour Unions
172164Punjab Trade and Labour UnionsSita RamHindu Election Board
173165Eastern Punjab Diwan Chaman Lall Indian National Congress
174166Northern PunjabAhmad Baksh KhanUnionist Party
University
175167Punjab UniversitiesManohar LalIndependent

Government formation

(Right to Left) Amjad Ali Khan (member), Malik Khizar Hayat Tiwana (minister), Dasaundha Singh (member), Sikandar Hayat Khan (prime minister), Chottu Ram (minister), Mian Abdul Haye (minister) in 1940. Sikandar Hayat Khan Cabinet.jpg
(Right to Left) Amjad Ali Khan (member), Malik Khizar Hayat Tiwana (minister), Dasaundha Singh (member), Sikandar Hayat Khan (prime minister), Chottu Ram (minister), Mian Abdul Haye (minister) in 1940.

After the result Unionist party got majority in the assembly on its own. Unionist Party leader Sikandar Hayat Khan claimed the formation of Government in the State. Khalsa National Board and Hindu Election Board also joined the government.

On 5 April 1937 Sikandar Hayat Khan formed the Government and 5 other members also took oath. The ministers and their ministries were as follows:- [4]

NameMinistryPartyConstituency
Sikandar Hayat Khan Prime minister and Law and order UoP North Punjab (Landholders) (Mohammadans)
Chottu Ram Revenue and Irrigation UoP Jhajjat (General-Urban)
Mnohar Lal Finance and Industry IND Punjab Universities
Malik Khizar Hayat Tiwana Electricity, Police and Local governments UoP Khushab (Muhammadans-Rural)
Sundar Singh Majithia Development KNP Batala (Sikh-Rural)
Mian Abdul Hayee Education and Health UoP South East Town (Muhammadans-Urban)

On 2 April 1941 after the death of Sundar Singh Majithia, the ministry of Development was handed over to Dasaundha Singh (KNP) from Jagraon (Sikh-Rural) constituency. [5] In 1942 after Sikandar-Baldev Pact KNP leader and minister Dasaundha Singh was removed from the cabinet and Baldev Singh joined the cabinet. [6]

On 26 December 1945 Sikandar Hayat Khan died due to a heart attack. Malik Khizar Hayat Tiwana succeeded him on 30 December 1945. [7]

See also

Zimni elections in Pakistan

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References

  1. Elections in Punjab 1920-1947 (Pdf),(p. 16), Book by Kirpal C. Yadav. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  2. Elections in Punjab 1920-1947 (Pdf),(p. 84), Book by Kirpal C. Yadav. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  3. Political Development and Political Parties in Punjan 1849-1948 (Pdf), (p. 74), Pakistan Journal of Social Science Vol. 29, No. 1 (June 2009) pp. 65-78. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  4. Turmoil in Punjab politics Book by Subhash Chandra Arora. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  5. Turmoil in Punjab politics Book by Subhash Chandra Arora. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  6. Sikandar-Baldev Pact. www.thesikhencyclopedia.com. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
  7. Firoz Khan Noon to Khizar Hayat Khan, 21 August 1945, SHC/Punjab vol. IV, 15.