# History of Punjab Legislative Assembly

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
### 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.

## Election results
### Pre-Independence

Punjab Legislative Council
| Year | | | | Others | Total |
| Year | UoP | INC | IND | Others | Total |
| 1920 | - | - | 71 | - | 71 |
| 1923 | 33 | 0 | 17 | 21 | 71 |
| 1926 | 31 | 2 | 12 | 26 | 71 |
| 1930 | 37 | 0 | 14 | 20 | 71 |
Punjab Provincial Assembly
| Year | | | | | | Others | Total |
| Year | UoP | INC | SAD | AIML | IND | Others | Total |
| 1937 | 98 | 18 | 11 | 2 | 16 | 30 | 175 |
| 1946 | 19 | 51 | 21 | 73 | 11 | 0 | 175 |

### Post-Independence

| Years | Majority | Majority | | | | | | Others | Total |
| Years | Majority | Majority | INC | SAD | AAP | BJP | IND | Others | Total |
| 1952 | | INC | 96 | 13 | ~ | ~ | 9 | 8 | 126 |
| 1957 | | INC | 120 | ^ | ~ | ~ | 13 | 21 | 154 |
| 1962 | | INC | 90 | 19 | ~ | ~ | 18 | 27 | 154 |
| 1967 | | INC | 48 | ^ | ~ | ~ | 9 | 47 | 104 |
| 1969 | | SAD | 38 | 43 | ~ | ~ | 4 | 17 | 104 |
| 1972 | | INC | 66 | 24 | ~ | ~ | 3 | 11 | 104 |
| 1977 | | SAD | 17 | 58 | ~ | ~ | 2 | 40 | 117 |
| 1980 | | INC | 63 | 37 | ~ | 1 | 2 | 14 | 117 |
| 1985 | | SAD | 32 | 73 | ~ | 6 | 4 | 2 | 117 |
| 1992 | | INC | 87 | ^ | ~ | 6 | 4 | 20 | 117 |
| 1997 | | SAD | 14 | 75 | ~ | 18 | 6 | 4 | 117 |
| 2002 | | INC | 62 | 41 | ~ | 3 | 9 | 2 | 117 |
| 2007 | | SAD | 44 | 49 | ~ | 19 | 5 | 0 | 117 |
| 2012 | | SAD | 46 | 56 | ~ | 12 | 3 | 0 | 117 |
| 2017 | | INC | 77 | 15 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 117 |
| 2022 | | AAP | 18 | 3 | 92 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 117 |
* ^ - 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
### 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) |
| 1st (1 November 1898 – 3 July 1909) | William Mackworth Young | 1 November 1897 – 6 March 1902 |
| 1st (1 November 1898 – 3 July 1909) | Sir Charles Montgomery Rivaz | 6 March 1902 – 6 March 1907 |
| 1st (1 November 1898 – 3 July 1909) | Sir Denzil Charles Jelf Ibbetson | 6 March 1907 - 26 May 1907 |
| 1st (1 November 1898 – 3 July 1909) | Sir Denzil Charles Jelf Ibbetson | 12 August 1907 - 22 January 1908 |
| 1st (1 November 1898 – 3 July 1909) | Sir Louis William Dane | 25 May 1908 - 3 January 1910 |
| 2nd (3 January 1910 – 14 December 1912) | Sir Louis William Dane | 3 January 1910 - 28 April 1911 |
| 2nd (3 January 1910 – 14 December 1912) | Sir Louis William Dane | 4 August 1911 - 14 December 1912 |
| 2nd (3 January 1910 – 14 December 1912) | Sir Louis William Dane | 14 December 1912 - 4 January 1913 |
| 3rd (4 January 1913 – 19 April 1916) | Sir Louis William Dane | 4 January 1913 – 26 May 1913 |
| 3rd (4 January 1913 – 19 April 1916) | Sir Michael Francis O'Dwyer | 26 May 1913 – 12 June 1916 |
| 4th (12 June 1916 – 6 April 1920) | Sir Michael Francis O'Dwyer | 12 June 1916 – 26 May 1919 |
| 4th (12 June 1916 – 6 April 1920) | Sir Edward Douglas Maclagan | 26 May 1919 – 6 April 1920 |

### Punjab Legislative Council (1921-1936)

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

### Punjab Legislative Assembly

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

## State under President's rule

Punjab Provincial Assembly (1937-1947) :
| Assembly | Governor's Rule | Tenure | Tenure | Tenure | Reason |
| 1 | Governor's Rule | 19 March 1945 | 21 March 1946 | 1 year, 2 days | To conduct fresh and Impartial election |
| 2 | Governor's Rule | 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 | Tenure | 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 | President's rule | 5 July 1966 | 1 November 1966 | 119 days | State administration was taken over, to facilitate bifurcation of Punjab state into, Punjab and Haryana |
| 4 | President's rule | 23 August 1968 | 17 February 1969 | 178 days | Break-up of coalition |
| 5 | President's rule | 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 | President's rule | 30 April 1977 | 20 June 1977 | 51 days | To conduct the fresh election after Emergency in India |
| 7 | President's rule | 17 February 1980 | 6 June 1980 | 110 days | Government dismissed in spite of Parkash Singh Badal enjoying majority support in Assembly |
| 8 | President's rule | 6 October 1983 | 29 September 1985 | 1 year, 358 days | Insurgency and breakdown of law and order |
| 9 | President's rule | 11 June 1987 | 25 February 1992 | 4 years, 259 days | Insurgency and breakdown of law and order |