The Punjab Legislative Council was the unicameral legislature of British Punjab, a province of the British Raj. It was established in 1921 by the British authorities under Government of India Act 1919, the council had nominal powers and a membership of mainly pro-British politicians and government officials. Voting was largely boycotted until the Government of India Act 1935 increased representation and the powers of the assembly. It was dissolved in 1936 and was succeeded by Punjab Provincial Assembly.
The First World War gave the momentum to the growing demand for self-government in British India. Therefore, the new constitutional reforms, under the Montagu–Chelmsford Reforms were introduced by British Government. The scheme was implemented through the Government of India Act 1919. The first Council was constituted on 8 January 1921 for the first time. The election for first Council was held in December 1920. 71 members were elected and 22 were nominated by Governor and the last election held in 1930 and the council disbanded in 1936The Punjab Parliamentarians 1897-2013, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab, Lahore - Pakistan, 2015
Presidents Color key for the presidential party
List of presidents S. No.NamePartyTenure Council 1Montagu Sherard Dawes ButlerNon-Partisan 8 January 192121 March 19221st2Herbert Alexander Casson10 May 192227 October 19232 January 192416 January 19252nd3Abdul QadirUnionist Party 16 January 19254 September 19254Shahab-ud-Din Virk3 December 192527 October 19264 January 192726 July 19303rd25 October 193024 July 19364th5Chottu Ram20 October 193610 November 1936
Deputy President CouncilNameTenure1stMehtab Singh23 February 192124 October 1921Manohar Lal3 November 192127 October 19232ndSheikh Abdul Qadir5 January 192416 January 1925Mohinder Singh 5 March 192527 October 19263rdButa Singh 5 January 192721 July 1927Habibullah21 July 192726 July 19304thHarbaksh Singh8 November 193017 January 1931Buta Singh 2 March 193110 November 1936
First Council
The first Punjab Legislative Council was formed in 1921 for a three-year term. The Council had 93 members, seventy per cent of whom were elected and rest nominated.
An elected president presided over meetings of the Council. The first Punjab Legislative Council held 98 meetings between 8 January 1921 and 27 October 1923.
Notable members included:
Sir Montagu Butler (President) Herbert Alexander Casson (President) Manohar Lal (Lahore — Punjab University) Sir Fazl-i-Husain (Elected — Muhammadan Landholders) Sikandar Hayat Khan (Punjabi politician) (Wah, Attock — Muhammadan, Rural) Sundar Singh Majithia (Ex-officio member, Member Executive Council) Feroz Khan Noon (Shahpur West — (Muhammadan), Rural) Chhotu Ram (South East Rohtak (Non-Muhammadan) Mian Muhammad Shahnawaz (Lahore, Lahore — Muhammadan, Rural)
Second Council
The second Legislative Council was constituted on 2 January 1924 and held 102 meetings until it was dissolved on 27 October 1926.
Sir Sheikh Abdul Qadir was the first elected and the first Muslim President of this Council. He resigned in September 1925 when he was appointed Minister for Education, and was succeeded by Sir Shahab-ud-Din Virk.
Notable members included:
Sir George Anderson (Director of Public Instruction, Punjab) Herbert Alexander Casson (President) Sir Shahab-ud-Din Virk (President) Sir Sheikh Abdul Qadir (President) Manohar Lal (Lahore — Punjab University) Sir Fazl-i-Husain (Minister for Education, Revenue Member — Muhammadan Landholders) Sikandar Hayat Khan (Attock — Muhammadan, Rural) Sundar Singh Majithia (Revenue Member) John Maynard (Leader of the House, Finance Member) Jogendra Singh (Sikh Landholders, Minister for Agriculture) Chhotu Ram (South East Rohtak — Non-Muhammadan, Rural, Minister for Agriculture, Education)
Third Council
The third Legislative Council sat between 3 January 1927 and 26 July 1930, during which is held 111 meetings. Sir Shahab-ud-Din Virk was re-elected President on 4 January 1927.
Notable members included:
Sir George Anderson (Director of Public Instruction, Punjab) Sir Sheikh Abdul Qadir (Representative, General Interests) Sir Henry Craik (Finance Member Government of Punjab) Sir Geoffrey Fitzhervey de Montmorency (Finance Member to Government, Punjab) Herbert Emerson (Secretary to Government Punjab, Finance Department) Sir Fazl-i-Husain Revenue Member to Government Punjab Sir Muhammad Iqbal (Lahore City — Muhammadan, Urban) Sikandar Hayat Khan (Muhammadan — Landholders) Manohar Lal (Punjab University) — Minister for Education Feroz Khan Noon (Shahpur East — Muhammadan, Rural) — Minister for Local Self-Government Chhotu Ram (Hissar — Non-Muhammadan, Rural) Sir Jogendra Singh (Sikh Landholders) — Minister for Agriculture Sir Shahab-ud-Din Virk (President)
Fourth Council
The fourth and the last Legislative Council was constituted on 25 October 1930 and held 197 meetings until it was dissolved on 17 November 1935. Sir Shahab-ud-Din Virk was reelected unopposed as President for a third term. He resigned when he was appointmed Minister for Education and was succeeded by Sir Chhotu Ram.
Notable members included: Sir George Anderson (Director of Public Instruction, Punjab) Mazhar Ali Azhar (East and West Central Towns — Muhammadan, Urban) Sir Henry Craik (Finance Member to Government, Punjab) Mushtaq Ahmed Gurmani (Representative of General Interest) Nazir Husain Ranjha (Gujrat West — Muhammadan, Rural) Sir Fazl-i-Husain Minister for Education Miles Irving (Finance Member, Minister Revenue previously worked as Financial Commissioner) Sikandar Hayat Khan (Revenue Member to Government, Punjab) Manohar Lal (Punjab University) Shahnawaz Khan Mamdot (Representative of General Interest) Feroz Khan Noon (Shahpur East — Muhammadan, Rural) — Minister for Education Chhotu Ram (President) Sir Jogendra Singh (Sikh, Landholders — Minister for Agriculture) Arjan Singh(Sikh, MLC Hoshiarpur and Kangra 1936) Sir Shahab-ud-Din Virk (President)
See also 1920 Punjab Legislative Council election 1923 Punjab Legislative Council election 1926 Punjab Legislative Council election 1930 Punjab Legislative Council election
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