History of Punjab Legislative Assembly

Last updated

Punjab Legislative Assembly
16th Punjab Assembly
Type
Type
History
Established1952
Preceded by Interim East Punjab Assembly
Leadership
Banwarilal Purohit
since 31 August 2021
Kultar Singh Sandhwan , AAP
since 21 March 2022
Jai Krishan Singh , AAP
since 30 June 2022
Bhagwant Mann , AAP
since 16 March 2022
Harpal Singh Cheema , AAP
since 21 March 2022
Balkar Singh , AAP
since 31 May 2023
Partap Singh Bajwa , INC
since 9 April 2022
Structure
Seats117
Punjab Legislative Assembly 2024.png
Political groups
Government (91)
  AAP (91)

Official Opposition (15)

  INC (15) [lower-alpha 1]

Other opposition (9)

  SAD (3)
  BJP (2)
  BSP (1)
  IND (1)

Vacant (4)

  Vacant (4)
Length of term
5 years; renewable
Elections
First-past-the-post
First election
26 March 1952
Last election
20 February 2022
Next election
February 2027 or earlier
Meeting place
Assembly 09.jpg
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. 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.

Contents

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. [3]

Election results

Pre-Independence

Punjab Legislative Council

YearOthersTotal
UoP INC IND
1920 --71-71
1923 3301721
1926 3121226
1930 3701420

Punjab Provincial Assembly

YearOthersTotal
UoP INC SAD AIML IND
1937 98181121630175
1946 19512173110

Post-Independence

YearsMajorityOthersTotal
INC SAD AAP BJP IND
1952 INC 9613~~98126
1957 INC 120^1321154
1962 INC 90191827
1967 INC 48^947104
1969 SAD 3843417
1972 INC 6624311
1977 SAD 1758240117
1980 INC 63371214
1985 SAD 3273642
1992 INC 87^6420
1997 SAD 14751864
2002 INC 6241392
2007 SAD 44491950
2012 SAD 46561230
2017 INC 771520302
2022 AAP 18392211

List of Assemblies

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

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

(President of Council)

Tenure
(Presiding dates) [4] [5]
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)

Punjab Legislative Council (1921-1936)
Council
(Tenure)
PresidentTenure [4] Governor
1st
(8 January 1921 – 27 October 1923)
Montagu Sherard Dawes Butler 8 January 192121 March 1922 Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan
Herbert Alexander Casson 10 May 192227 October 1923
2nd
(2 January 1924 – 27 October 1926)
2 January 192416 January 1925 Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan and Sir William Malcolm Hailey
Sheikh Abdul Qadir 16 January 19254 September 1925
Sir Shahab-ud-Din Virk 3 December 192527 October 1926
3rd
(3 January 1927 – 26 July 1930)
4 January 192726 July 1930 Sir William Malcolm Hailey and Sir G. F. Montmorency
4th
(24 October 1930 – 10 November 1936)
25 October 193024 July 1936 Sir G. F. Montmorency and Sir Herbert William Emerson
Chhotu Ram 20 October 193610 November 1936

Punjab Legislative Assembly

Punjab Provincial Assembly (1937-1947)
AssemblyTenurePremierParty formed governmentNote
First sittingDate of dissolution
15 April 193719 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
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
Interim 1 November 194720 June 1951 Gopi Chand Bhargava Indian National Congress Interim Assembly
Bhim Sen Sachar
Gopi Chand Bhargava
1st 3 May 195231 March 1957Bhim Sen Sachar
Partap Singh Kairon
2nd 24 April 19571 March 1962Partap Singh Kairon
3rd 13 March 196228 February 1967Partap Singh KaironAssembly under suspension from 5 July 1966 to 1 November 1966
Gopi Chand Bhargava
Ram Kishan
Gurmukh Singh Musafir
4th 20 March 196723 August 1968 Gurnam Singh Akali Dal - Sant Fateh Singh Assembly dissolved prematurely
Lachhman Singh Gill Punjab Janta Party
5th 13 March 196914 June 1971Gurnam Singh Shiromani Akali Dal Assembly dissolved prematurely
Parkash Singh Badal
6th 21 March 197230 April 1977 Zail Singh Indian National Congress Assembly tenure extended by one month due to Emergency
7th 30 June 197717 February 1980Parkash Singh Badal Shiromani Akali Dal Assembly dissolved prematurely
8th 23 June 198026 June 1985 Darbara Singh Indian National Congress Assembly suspended from 6 October 1983 and later dissolved due to Insurgency
9th 14 October 198511 May 1987 Surjit Singh Barnala Shiromani Akali Dal Assembly dissolved prematurely due to Insurgency
1016 March 199211 February 1997 Beant Singh Indian National Congress -
Harcharan Singh Brar
Rajinder Kaur Bhattal
11 3 March 199726 February 2002 Parkash Singh Badal Shiromani Akali Dal
1221 March 200227 February 2007 Amarinder Singh Indian National Congress
13 1 March 20076 March 2012 Parkash Singh Badal Shiromani Akali Dal
14 19 March 201211 March 2017 Parkash Singh Badal
15 24 March 201711 March 2022 Amarinder Singh Indian National Congress
Charanjit Singh Channi
16 17 March 2022 Bhagwant Mann Aam Aadmi Party

State under President's rule

Punjab Provincial Assembly (1937-1947)
AssemblyGovernor's RuleTenureReason
1Governor's Rule19 March 194521 March 19461 year, 2 daysTo conduct fresh and Impartial election
22 March 194715 August 1947166 daysGovernment resigned against the decision of Partition of India
Punjab Legislative Assembly (1947–present)
AssemblyPresident's RuleTenureReason
InterimPresident's rule20 June 195117 April 1952302 daysAssembly kept in suspension to help the state government get its act together and conduct fresh elections
35 July 19661 November 1966119 daysState administration was taken over, to facilitate bifurcation of Punjab state into, Punjab and Haryana
423 August 196817 February 1969178 daysBreak-up of coalition
514 June 197117 March 1972277 daysFollowing the 1971 Lok Sabha Elections, incumbent Chief Minister advised dissolving state assembly and holding fresh elections
630 April 197720 June 197751 daysTo conduct the fresh election after Emergency in India
717 February 19806 June 1980110 daysGovernment dismissed in spite of Parkash Singh Badal enjoying majority support in Assembly
86 October 198329 September 19851 year, 358 daysInsurgency and breakdown of law and order
911 June 198725 February 19924 years, 259 daysInsurgency and breakdown of law and order

See also

Notes

  1. Two members were suspended by congress because of their anti-party activities. These are Sandeep Jakhar [1] and Vikramjit Chaudhary, [2] 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.

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References

  1. "Congress suspends Abohar MLA Sandeep Jakhar for 'anti-party' activities". Hindustan Times. 20 August 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
  2. "Congress suspends Phillaur MLA Vikramjit Chaudhary for anti-party activities". Indian Express. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  3. "Punjab Legislative Assembly". legislativebodiesinindia.nic.in. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  4. 1 2 The Punjab Parliamentarians 1897-2013, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, Lahore - Pakistan, 2015
  5. "List of Former Governors - Pre Independence".