# List of speakers of the Punjab Legislative Assembly

In the Republic of India, the various central and state legislatures are presided by either a Speaker or a Chairman. The Speaker is elected in the very first meeting of the Punjab Legislative Assembly after the General elections for a term of 5 years from amongst the members of the Vidhan Sabha. The Speaker holds office until either he ceases to be a member of the Vidhan Sabha or he himself resigns. The Speaker can be removed from office by a resolution passed in the Vidhan Sabha by an effective majority of its members. In the absence of a Speaker, the meeting of Punjab Legislative Assembly is presided over by the Deputy Speaker. The incumbent Speaker is Kultar Singh Sandhwan and the deputy speaker is Jai Krishan Singh of Aam Admi Party.

## Powers and functions of the Speaker

Following are the functions and position of Speakers.
* The Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha conducts the business in house, and decides whether a bill is a money bill or not.
* They maintain discipline and decorum in the house and can punish a member for their unruly behaviour by suspending them.
* They also permit the moving of various kinds of motions and resolutions such as a motion of no confidence, motion of adjournment, motion of censure and calling attention notice as per the rules.
* The speaker decides on the agenda to be taken up for discussion during the meeting.
* The date of election of the speaker is fixed by the Governor of Punjab. Further, all comments and speeches made by members of the House are addressed to the speaker.
* The speaker is answerable to the house.
* Both the speaker and deputy speaker may be removed by a resolution passed by the majority of the members.
* Speaker also gives recognition to the main opposite party as an Official Opposition and to the leader of that party in assembly as the Leader of Opposition.

## Speaker

| S. No. | Name | Constituency | Tenure | Tenure | Duration | Party | Assembly |
| Pre-Independence (1937-1947) |||||||||
| 1 | Shahab-ud-Din Virk | Sialkot | 6 April 1937 | 16 March 1945 | 7 years, 344 days | Unionist Party | 1st |
| 2 | Satya Prakash Singha | West Central Punjab | 21 March 1946 | 4 July 1947 | 1 year, 105 days | Unionist Party | 2nd |
| After Independence (1947–present) |||||||||
| 1 | Kapur Singh | Ludhiana East | 1 November 1947 | 20 June 1951 | 3 years, 231 days | Indian National Congress | - |
| 2 | Satya Pal | Amritsar City North | 5 May 1952 | 18 April 1954 | 1 year, 348 days | Indian National Congress | 1st |
| 3 | Gurdial Singh Dhillon | Tarn Taran | 18 May 1954 | 25 April 1957 | 2 years, 342 days | Indian National Congress | 1st |
| 3 | Gurdial Singh Dhillon | Tarn Taran | 25 April 1957 | 13 March 1962 | 4 years, 322 days | Indian National Congress | 2nd |
| 4 | Prabodh Chandra | Gurdaspur | 14 March 1962 | 18 March 1964 | 2 years, 4 days | Indian National Congress | 3rd |
| 5 | Harbans Lal Gupta | Bathinda | 25 March 1964 | 19 March 1967 | 2 years, 359 days | Indian National Congress | 3rd |
| 6 | Joginder Singh Mann | Sirhind | 21 March 1967 | 13 March 1969 | 1 year, 357 days | Akali Dal - Tara Singh | 4th |
| 7 | Darbara Singh | Nakodar | 14 March 1969 | 13 June 1971 | 2 years, 91 days | Independent | 5th |
| 7 | Darbara Singh | Nakodar | 22 March 1972 | 3 September 1973 | 1 year, 165 days | Indian National Congress | 6th |
| 8 | Kewal Krishan | Mukerian | 25 September 1973 | 30 June 1977 | 3 years, 278 days | Indian National Congress | 6th |
| 9 | Ravi Inder Singh | Morinda | 1 July 1977 | 27 June 1980 | 2 years, 362 days | Shiromani Akali Dal | 7th |
| 10 | Brij Bhushan Mehra | Amritsar North | 1 July 1980 | 13 October 1985 | 5 years, 104 days | Indian National Congress (Indira) | 8th |
| (9) | Ravi Inder Singh | Morinda | 15 October 1985 | 27 May 1986 | 224 days | Shiromani Akali Dal | 9th |
| 11 | Surjit Singh Minhas | Adampur | 2 June 1986 | 15 March 1992 | 5 years, 287 days | Shiromani Akali Dal | 9th |
| 12 | Harcharan Singh Ajnala | Ajnala | 17 March 1992 | 9 June 1993 | 1 year, 84 days | Indian National Congress (Indira) | 10th |
| 13 | Harnam Das Johar | Ludhiana West | 21 July 1993 | 23 November 1996 | 3 years, 125 days | Indian National Congress (Indira) | 10th |
| 14 | Dilbagh Singh Daleke | Tarn Taran | 23 December 1996 | 2 March 1997 | 69 days | Indian National Congress (Indira) | 10th |
| 15 | Charanjit Singh Atwal | Kum Kalan | 4 March 1997 | 20 March 2002 | 5 years, 16 days | Shiromani Akali Dal | 11th |
| (8) | Kewal Krishan | Mukerian | 21 March 2002 | 15 March 2007 | 4 years, 359 days | Indian National Congress | 12th |
| 16 | Nirmal Singh Kahlon | Fatehgarh Churian | 16 March 2007 | 19 March 2012 | 5 years, 3 days | Shiromani Akali Dal | 13th |
| (15) | Charanjit Singh Atwal | Payal | 20 March 2012 | 27 March 2017 | 5 years, 7 days | Shiromani Akali Dal | 14th |
| 17 | Rana KP Singh | Anandpur Sahib | 27 March 2017 | 11 March 2022 | 4 years, 349 days | Indian National Congress | 15th |
| 18 | Kultar Singh Sandhwan | Kotkapura | 21 March 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 345 days | Aam Aadmi Party | 16th |

## Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker is the vice-presiding officer of the Vidhan Sabha. Acts as the presiding officer in case of leave or absence caused by death or illness of the Speaker.

### List of Deputy Speakers

Color keys for the Party of Deputy Speaker
* Akali Dal - Sant Fateh Singh
* Bharatiya Janata Party
* Bharatiya Jana Sangh
* Indian National Congress
* Janata Party
* Shiromani Akali Dal
* Unionist Party
| S. No. | Name | Constituency | Tenure | Tenure | Duration | Party | Party |
| | Pre-Independence (1937-1947) | Pre-Independence (1937-1947) | Pre-Independence (1937-1947) | Pre-Independence (1937-1947) | Pre-Independence (1937-1947) | Pre-Independence (1937-1947) | Pre-Independence (1937-1947) |
| 1. | Dasaundha Singh | Jagraon | 6 April 1937 | 7 April 1941 | 4 years, 1 day | | Unionist Party |
| 2. | Gurbachan Singh | Jullundur West | 22 April 1941 | 16 March 1945 | 3 years, 328 days | | Unionist Party |
| 3. | Kapur Singh | Ludhiana East | 26 March 1946 | 4 July 1947 | 1 year, 100 days | | Unionist Party |
| | After Independence (1947–1966) | After Independence (1947–1966) | After Independence (1947–1966) | After Independence (1947–1966) | After Independence (1947–1966) | After Independence (1947–1966) | After Independence (1947–1966) |
| 1. | Thakur Panchan Chand | Kangra North | 3 November 1947 | 20 March 1951 | 3 years, 137 days | | Indian National Congress |
| 2. | Shanno Devi | Amritsar City West | 26 March 1951 | 20 June 1951 | 86 days | | Indian National Congress |
| 3. | Gurdial Singh Dhillon | Jhabal | 10 May 1952 | 17 May 1954 | 2 years, 7 days | | Indian National Congress |
| 4. | Sarup Singh | Narnaund | 19 May 1954 | 31 March 1957 | 2 years, 316 days | | Indian National Congress |
| (4) | Sarup Singh | Hansi | 25 April 1957 | 28 February 1962 | 4 years, 309 days | | Indian National Congress |
| 5. | Shanno Devi | Jagadhri | 19 March 1962 | 31 October 1966 | 4 years, 226 days | | Indian National Congress |
| Post- Reorganisation (1966 - Present) ||||||||
| 6. | Jagjit Singh Chohan | Tanda | 27 March 1967 | 27 November 1967 | 245 days | | Akali Dal - Sant Fateh Singh |
| 7. | Baldev Singh | | 8 December 1967 | 23 August 1968 | 259 days | | Akali Dal - Sant Fateh Singh |
| 8. | Bikramajit Singh Bajwa | Batala | 20 March 1969 | 24 April 1970 | 1 year, 35 days | | Bharatiya Jana Sangh |
| (8) | Bikramajit Singh Bajwa | Batala | 28 July 1970 | 13 October 1971 | 1 year, 77 days | | Bharatiya Jana Sangh |
| 9. | Kewal Krishan | Mukerian | 28 March 1972 | 25 September 1973 | 1 year, 181 days | | Indian National Congress |
| 10. | Nasib Singh Gill | Zira | 28 September 1973 | 30 April 1977 | 3 years, 214 days | | Indian National Congress |
| 11. | Panna Lal Nayyar | Batala | 8 July 1977 | 17 February 1980 | 2 years, 224 days | | Janata Party |
| 12. | Guizar Singh | Nathana | 8 July 1980 | 26 June 1985 | 4 years, 353 days | | Indian National Congress (Indira) |
| 13. | Nirmal Singh Kahlon | Fatehgarh Churian | 5 November 1985 | 6 May 1986 | 182 days | | Shiromani Akali Dal |
| 14. | Jaswant Singh Sidhu | Mansa | 2 June 1986 | 5 March 1988 | 1 year, 277 days | | Shiromani Akali Dal |
| 15. | Romesh Chander Dogra | Dasuya | 7 April 1992 | 7 January 1996 | 3 years, 275 days | | Indian National Congress (Indira) |
| 16. | Naresh Thakur | Hoshiarpur | 28 February 1996 | 11 February 1997 | 349 days | | Indian National Congress (Indira) |
| 17. | Swarna Ram | Phagwara | 18 June 1997 | 26 July 1997 | 8 days | | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 18. | Baldev Raj Chawla | Amritsar North | 23 December 1997 | 31 December 1999 | 2 years, 8 days | | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 19. | Satpal Gosain | Ludhiana East | 5 September 2000 | 24 February 2002 | 1 year, 172 days | | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 20. | Darbari Lal | Amritsar Central | 26 June 2002 | 10 March 2003 | 257 days | | Indian National Congress |
| 21. | Bir Devinder Singh | Kharar | 27 March 2003 | 9 July 2004 | 1 year, 104 days | | Indian National Congress |
| (20) | Darbari Lal | Amritsar Central | 12 July 2004 | 27 February 2007 | 2 years, 230 days | | Indian National Congress |
| (19) | Satpal Gosain | Ludhiana East | 16 March 2007 | 14 April 2011 | 4 years, 29 days | | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 22. | Chuni Lal Bhagat | Jalandhar South | 13 June 2011 | 6 March 2012 | 267 days | | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 23. | Dinesh Singh | Sujanpur | 20 March 2012 | 11 March 2017 | 4 years, 356 days | | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| 24. | Ajaib Singh Bhatti | Malout | 16 June 2017 | 11 March 2022 | 4 years, 268 days | | Indian National Congress |
| 25. | Jai Krishan Singh | Garhshankar | 30 June 2022 | Incumbent | 2 years, 244 days | | Aam Aadmi Party |

## Pro tem Speaker

After a general election and the formation of a new government, a list of senior Members in Vidhan Sabha prepared by the Legislative Section is submitted to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, who selects a pro tem speaker who holds the office of Speaker until a full time speaker is elected. However,, in Punjab mostly the pro tem speaker become the full time Speaker. The appointment has to be approved by the Governor.
The first meeting after the election when the speaker and the deputy speaker are selected by members of the Vidhan Sabha is held under the pro tem Speaker. In the absence of the speaker, the deputy speaker acts as speaker. In the absence of both, a committee of six members selected by the speaker will act as speaker according to their seniority.
The Speaker of the Assembly must:
* Be a citizen of India;
* Not be less than 25 years of age; and
* Not hold any office of profit under the Government of Punjab, India.
In Punjab Legislative Assembly mostly Pro-tem speaker is elected as Speaker.

### List of Pro tem Speakers

| Sr. no. | Year | Pro-tem Speaker | Elected Speaker |
| Before Independence ||||
| 1 | 1937 | Raja Narendra Nath | Shahab-ud-Di |
| 2 | 1946 | Satya Prakash Singha | Satya Prakash Singha |
| After Independence ||||
| 1 | 1952 | Satyapal | Satyapal |
| 2 | 1957 | Gurdial Singh Dhillon | Gurdial Singh Dhillon |
| 3 | 1962 | Prabodh Chandra | Prabodh Chandra |
| 4 | 1967 | Lal Chand Sabharwal | Joginder Singh Mann |
| 5 | 1969 | Darbara Singh | Darbara Singh |
| 5 | 1972 | Darbara Singh | Darbara Singh |
| 6 | 1977 | Ravi Inder Singh | Ravi Inder Singh |
| 7 | 1980 | Gurdarshan Singh | Brij Bhushan Mehra |
| (6) | 1985 | Ravi Inder Singh | Ravi Inder Singh |
| 8 | 1992 | Harcharn Singh Ajnala | Harcharn Singh Ajnala |
| 9 | 1997 | Charnjit Singh Atwal | Charnjit Singh Atwal |
| 10 | 2002 | Kewal Krishan | Kewal Krishan |
| 11 | 2007 | Nirmal Singh Kahlon | Nirmal Singh Kahlon |
| (9) | 2012 | Charnjit Singh Atwal | Charnjit Singh Atwal |
| 12 | 2017 | Rana Kanwar Pal Singh | Rana Kanwar Pal Singh |
| 13 | 2022 | Inderbir Singh Nijjar | Kultar Singh Sandhwan |