The Last Assembly (Punjab Provincial Assemly: 1946 - 1947)

A few weeks ago, I came across a webpage, which gave the names of all the members of the Punjab Assembly of 1946 - 1947. Now the students of history can well understand its significance. Because this was only the second but the last elected assembly of the Province of Punjab, of British India. It was this assembly, which took the fateful decision of diving Punjab, between Pakistan and India. 

In January, 1946, election was held to elect the 175 members of this assembly. One can safely claim that these elections were referendum on the question of Pakistan, and without winning Punjab, it was impossible for Muslim League to claim Pakistan. The election for this provincial assembly proved a great success for Muslim League. 

Party	Seats
Muslim League	73
Congress	51
Akalis	22
Unionists	20
Independents	9
Total	175

It was a great victory for Muslim League as it won 73 Muslim seats out of total 86. Thus justified its claim to be the voice of Muslims in the province.

Punjab Legislative Assembly

Second Assembly (March 21, 1946 to July 4, 1947)

SPEAKER

       Diwan Bahadur S.P. Singha, M.A., LL.B.    (West Central Punjab — Indian Christian)
       (March 21, 1946 to July 4, 1947)

DEPUTY SPEAKER

       Sardar Kapur Singh, B.A., LL.B. (Ludhiana East — Sikh, Rural)
       (March 26, 1946 to July 4, 1947)

PREMIER

       Malik Sir Khizar Hayat Khan Tiwana, K.C.S.I., O.B.E. (Khushab — Muhammadan Rural)

MINISTERS

1.    Chaudhri Lahri Singh, B.A., LL.B. (Rohtak North — General, Rural) — Minister of Public Works

2.    Mian Muhammad Ibrahim Barq (Alipur — Muhammadan, Rural) — Minister of Education

3.    Mr Bhim Sen Sachar, B.A., LL.B. (Lahore City — General, Urban)  — Finance Minister

4.    Nawab Sir Muzaffar Ali Qizilbash (Lahore — Muhammadan,  Rural) — Minister of Revenue

5.    Sardar Baldev Singh (Ambala North — Sikh, Rural) — Minister of  Development

MEMBERS

1.    Abdul Ghafur Khan, Chaudhri (Shakargarh — Muhammadan, Rural)

2.    Abdul Hameed Khan, Khan Sahib Sardar (Muzaffargarh — Muhammadan, Rural)

3.    Abdul Hamid Khan, Rana, B.A., LL.B. (Pakpattan — Muhammadan, Rural)

4.    Abdul Hamid Khan, Sufi (Karnal — Muhammadan, Rural)

5.    Abdul Haq, Mian (Okara — Muhammadan, Rural)

6.    Abdul Sattar Khan, Mr (Mianwali North — Muhammadan, Rural)

7.    Ahmad Jan, Maulvi (North-West Gurgaon — Muhammadan, rural)

8.    Ajit Singh, Sardar (South-West Punjab — Sikh, Rural)

9.    Akram Ali Khan, Chaudhri (Taran Taran — Muhammadan, Rural)

10.   Ali Akbar Khan, Chaudhri (Kangra and Eastern Hoshiarpur —  Muhammadan, Rural)

11.   Allah Bakhsh Khan Tiwana, K.B. Nawab Malik Sir, M.B.E. (Sargodha — Muhammadan, Rural)

12.   Allah Yar Khan Daultana, Khan Bahadur Mian (Mailsi —  Muhammadan, Rural)

13.   Anwar Khan, Rai (Jaranwala — Muhammadan, Rural)

14.   Asghar Ali, Khan Sahib Captain Chaudhri (Gujrat East — Muhammadan, Rural)

15.   Ashiq Hussain, Major Nawab, M.B.E. (Multan — Muhammadan, Rural)

16.   Ashiq Hussain, Sayed (Dipalpur— Muhammadan, Rural)

17.   Atta Muhammad Khan, Sardar, B.A., LL.B. (Dera Ghazi Khan North — Muhammadan, Rural)

18.   Aziz Din, Chaudhri (Lyallpur — Muhammadan, Rural)

19.   Bachan Singh, Sardar (Ludhiana Central — Sikh, Rural)

20.   Badlu Ram, Chaudhri (Rohtak Central — General, Rural)

21.   Bagh Ali, Mian (Fazilka — Muhammadan, Rural)

22.   Bahadur Khan Dreshak, Sirdar, M.B.E. (Dera Ghazi Khan South — Muhammadan, Rural)

23.   Bahawal Bakhsh, Chaudhri (South-East Gujrat — Muhammadan, Rural)

24.   Barkat Ali, Malik (Eastern Towns — Muhammadan, Urban)

25.   Barkat Hayat Khan, Sardar (North Punjab  — Labour)

26.   Bashir Ahmad, Mian, Bar-at-Law (Ferozepore East — Muhammadan, Rural)

27.   Behari Lal Chanana, Lala (South-East Multan Division — General, Rural)

28.   Beli Ram, Thakur, B.A., LL.B. (Kangra East — General, Rural)

29.   Bhagat Ram Sharma, Pandit, B.A., LL.B. (Kangra West — General, Rural)

30.   Bhagwan Das, Lala (Commerce and Industry)

31.   Budhan Shah, Pir (Khanewal — Muhammadan, Rural)

32.   Dalip Singh Kang, Sardar (Lyallpur East — Sikh, Rural)

33.   Dalip Singh, Thakur (Kangra South — General, Rural)

34.   Daud Ghaznavi, Maulana (East Punjab — Labour)

35.   Dev Raj Sethi, Mr (Lyallpur and Jhang — General, Rural)

36.   Durga Chand Kaoshish, Pandit (East Punjab — Landholders)

37.   Faiz Muhammad, Khan Bahadur Shaikh, B.A., LL.B., M.B.E. (Dera Ghazi Khan Central — Muhammadan, Rural)

38.   Faqir Chand, Pandit (West Lahore Division — General, Rural)

39.   Fateh Muhammad Sayyal, Chaudhri, M.A. (Batala — Muhammadan, Rural)

40.   Fazal Elahi, Chaudhri (Gujrat North — Muhammadan, Rural)

41.   Fazal Elahi, Mr (East Central Punjab — Indian Christian)

42.   Fazal Haq Piracha, Khan Bahadur Sheikh (Bhalwal — Muhammadan, Rural)

43.   Ganga Saran, Rai Bahadur Lala (Trade Union Labour)

44.   Ghazanfar Ali Khan, Raja (Pind Dadan Khan — Muhammadan, Rural)

45.   Ghulam Farid, Chaudhri, B.A., LL.B. (Gurdaspur East — Muhammadan, Rural)

46.   Ghulam Muhammad Shah, Syed (Jhang East — Muhammadan, Rural)

47.   Ghulam Mustafa Shah Jilani, Khan Sahib Makhdum Sayed (Lodhran — Muhammadan, Rural)

48.   Ghulam Rasul, Chaudhri (South West Gujrat — Muhammadan, Rural)

49.   Ghulam Samad, K.S. Khawaja (Southern Towns — Muhammadan, Urban)

50.   Gibbon, Mr, C.E. (Anglo Indian)

51.   Gopi Chand Bhargava, Dr (University)

52.   Guest, Mr P.H. (European)

53.   Gurbachan Singh Bajwa, Sardar, B.A., LL.B. (Sialkot — Sikh, Rural)

54.   Gurbachan Singh, Sardar (Ferozepore West — Sikh, Rural)

55.   Gurbanta Singh, Master (Jullundur General — Rural, Reserved Seat)

56.   Harbhaj Ram, Chaudhri (Lyallpur and Jhang — General, Reserved Seat)

57.   Hari Lal, Munshi, B.A. (Hons), LL.B. (South-West Towns — General)

58.   Iftikhar Hussain Khan, Nawab (Ferozepore General — Muhammadan, Rural)

59.   Inder Singh, Sardar (Eastern Town — Sikh, Rural)

60.   Isher Singh Majhail, Sardar (Amritsar North — Sikh, Rural)

61.   Jagdish Chander, Mr (Karnal North — General, Rural)

62.   Jagjit Singh Mann, Sardar (Central Punjab — Landholders)

63.   Jahan Ara Shah Nawaz, Begum, M.B.E. (Outer Lahore —  Muhammadan, Women, Urban)

64.   Jahan Khan, Chaudhri (North-West Gujrat — Muhammadan, Rural)

65.   Jaswant Singh, Sardar (North-West Punjab — Sikh, Rural)

66.   Jiwan Lal, Pandit (South-East Gurgaon — General, Rural)

67.   Jogindar Singh Mann, Sardar, M.B.E. (Gujranwala and Shahdara — Sikh, Rural)

68.   Kabul Singh, Sardar (Jullundur East — Sikh, Rural)

69.   Kale Khan, Raja (Rawalpindi East — Muhammadan, Rural)

70.   Karamat Ali, K.B. Sheikh, B.A., LL.B. (North-Eastern Towns — Muhammadan, Urban)

71.   Kartar Singh, Sardar (Lyallpur West — Sikh, Rural)

72.   Kehar Singh, Sardar (Jagraon — Sikh, Rural)

73.   Khair Mehdi Khan, Raja (Jhelum — Muhammadan, Rural)

74.   Khan Muhammad Khan Kathia, Mehr (Montgomery — Muhammadan, Rural)

75.   Kidar Nath Sehgal, Lala (Amritsar and Sialkot — General)

76.   Krishna Gopal Dutt, Chaudhri (North-Eastern Towns — General)

77.   Lehna Singh Sethi, Dr (North Western Towns — General, Urban)

78.    Man Singh Jathedar, Sardar (Sheikhupura West — Sikh, Rural)

79.   Mangoo Ram, Chaudhri (Hoshiarpur West — General, Rural, Reserved Seat)

80.   Manuel, Mr P (Anglo-Indian)

81.   Matu Ram, Chaudhri (Ludhiana and Ferozepore — General, Reserved Seat)

82.   Mehr Chand, Chaudhri (Hoshiarpur West — General, Reserved Seat)

83.   Mehtab Khan, Chaudhri (South East Gurgaon — Muhammadan, Rural)

84.   Mir Muhammad Khan, Rai (Samundri — Muhammadan, Rural)

85.   Mohan Lal, Mr (Una — General, Rural)

86.   Mohar Singh, Rao Sahib Rao, B.A., LL.B. (North-West Gurgaon — General, Rural)

87.   Mohy-ud-Din Lal Badshah, Sayed (Attock South — Muhammadan, Rural)

88.   Mubarik Ali Shah, Major Sayed (Jhang Central — Muhammadan, Rural)

89.   Muhammad Abdullah Khan Sahib, Mir (Mianwali South — Muhammadan, Urban)

90.   Muhammad Abdus Salam, Mian (Jullundur North — Muhammadan Rural)

91.   Muhammad Amin, K.S. Sheikh (Multan Division Towns — Muhammadan, Urban)

92.   Muhammad Arif Khan, Khan (Jhang West — Muhammadan, Rural)

93.   Muhammad Feroz Khan Noon, Malik Sir, K.C.S.I., K.C.I.E. (Rawalpindi Division Towns — Muhammadan, Urban)

94.   Muhammad Ghulam Jilani Gurmani, Mian (Muzaffargarh North — Muhammadan, Rural)

95.   Muhammad Hassan, Chaudhri (Ambala and Simla — Muhammadan, Rural)

96.   Muhammad Hussain, Chaudhri, B.A., LL.B. (Sheikhupura — Muhammadan, Rural)

97.   Muhammad Hussain, Sardar (Chunian — Muhammadan, Rural)

98.   Muhammad Iftikhar-ud-Din, Mian, B.A. (Oxon) (Kasur — Muhammadan, Rural)

99.   Muhammad Iqbal Ahmad Khan, Rai (Ludhiana — Muhammadan, Rural)

100. Muhammad Jamal Khan Leghari, Khan Bahadur Nawab Sir (Tumandar)

101. Muhammad Khurshid Khan, Rao, B.A., LL.B. (Rohtak — Muhammadan, Rural)

102. Muhammad Nawaz Khan, Lt Col Sardar Sir, K.C.I.E. (Attock Central — Muhammadan, Rural)

103. Muhammad Nur Ullah, Mian (Toba Tek Singh — Muhammadan, Rural)

104. Muhammad Rafiq, Mian (Outer Lahore — Muhammadan, Urban)

105. Muhammad Raza Shah Jilani, Haji Mukhdumzada Syed (Shujabad, — Muhammadan, Rural)

106. Muhammad Sarfraz Ali Khan, Raja (Chakwal — Muhammadan, Rural)

107. Muhammad Sarfraz Khan, Chaudhri (Sialkot Central — Muhammadan, Rural)

108. Mumtaz Ali Khan, Sardar, B.A., LL.B. (Attock North — Muhammadan, Rural)

109. Mumtaz Muhammad Khan Daulatana, Mian (Sialkot South — Muhammadan, Rural)

110. Narindar Singh, Sant (Montgomery East — Sikh Rural)

111. Narotam Singh, Sardar, B.A., LL.B. (South-East Punjab — Sikh, Rural)

112. Nasar Din, Chaudhri, B.A., LL.B. (Sialkot North — Muhammadan, Rural)

113. Nasarullah Khan Nasir, Rana (Hoshiarpur West — Muhammadan, Rural)

114. Nasarullah Khan, Chaudhri (Amritsar — Muhammadan, Rural)

115. Nau Bahar Shah, Sayyed (Kabirwala — Muhammadan, Rural)

116. Pancham Chand, Thakur, B.A., LL.B. (Kangra North — General, Rural)

117. Parbodh Chandar, Mr (Gurdaspur — General, Rural)

118. Parkash Kaur, Shrimati Dr (Amritsar — Sikh Women)

119. Partap Singh, Sardar, M.A. (Amritsar South — Sikh, Rural)

120. Piara Singh, Sardar (Hoshiarpur South — Sikh Rural)

121. Prem Singh, Chaudhri (South-East Gurgaon — Reserved Seat)

122. Prem Singh, Mahant (Gujrat and Shahpur — Sikh, Rural)

123. Prithvi Singh Azad, Sardar (Ambala and Simla — Reserved Seat)

124. Raj Muhammad Khan, Chaudhri (Hafizabad — Muhammadan, Rural)

125. Ram Sharma Pandit, Shri (Southern Towns — General, Urban)

126. Rameshawari Nehru, Mrs (Lahore City — General, Women, Urban)

127. Ranbir Singh Mehta, Mr (Ludhiana and Ferozepore — General, Rural)

128. Ranjit Singh, Chaudhri (Hissar South — General, Rural)

129. Rattan Singh Tabib, Chaudhri (Ambala and Simla — General, Rural)

130. Rattan Singh, Sardar (Ferozepore East — Sikh, Rural)

131. Rattan Singh, Sardar (Ferozepore North — Sikh, Rural)

132. Roshan Din, Khan Bahadur Chaudhri (Shahdara — Muhammadan, Rural)

133. Sadiq Hasan, Sheikh (Amritsar City — Muhammadan, Rural)

134. Sahib Dad Khan, Khan Sahib Chaudhri, B.A., LL.B. (Hissar — Muhammadan, Rural)

135. Sahib Ram, Chaudhri (Hissar North — General, Rural)

136. Said Akbar Khan, Raja, B.A., LL.B. (Gujar Khan — Muhammadan, Rural)

137. Sajjan Singh Margindpuri, Sardar (Kasur — Sikh, Rural)

138. Salah-ud-Din, Chaudhri (Gujranwala North — Muhammadan, Rural)

139. Samar Singh, Chaudhri (Karnal South — General, Rural)

140. Sant Ram Seth, Dr (Amritsar City — General, Urban)

141. Sant Ram, Mr (Jullundur General — Reserved Seat)

142. Sardul Singh, Sardar (Lahore West — Sikh, Rural)

143. Shahadat Khan, Rai (Nankana Sahib — Muhammadan, Rural)

144. Shanno Devi Sehgal, Shrimati (South-Eastern Towns — General, Urban)

145. Shaukat Hayat Khan, Sardar (South Eastern Towns — Muhammadan, Urban)

146. Sher Singh, Chaudhri (Jhajjar — General, Urban)

147. Shiv Saran Singh, Sardar (Kangra and Northern Hoshiarpur — Sikh, Rural)

148. Shiv Singh, Sardar (Gurdaspur North — Sikh, Rural)

149. Sudarshan Seth, Mr (Eastern Town — General, Urban)

150. Sultan Ali Nangiana, K.B. Mian (Shahpur — Muhammadan, Rural)

151. Sundar Singh, Chaudhri (Amritsar and Sialkot — General, Reserved Seat)

152. Sundar, Mr (Karnal North — Reserved Seat)

153. Suraj Mal, Rao Bahadur Chaudhri, B.A., LL.B. (Hansi — General, Rural)

154. Swaran Singh, Sardar, B.A., LL.B. (Jullundur West — Sikh, Rural)

155. Tara Singh, Sardar Sahib Sardar (Ferozepore South — Sikh, Rural)

156. Tasadaq Hussain, Begum (Inner Lahore — Muhammadan, Women, Urban)

157. Tilak Raj, Professor, M.A. (Rawalpindi Division — General, Rural)

158. Udham Singh, Sardar (Amritsar Central — Sikh, Rural)

159. Ujjal Singh, Sardar (Western Towns — Sikh, Urban)

160. Virendra, Mr (West Multan Division — General, Rural)

161. Wali Muhammad Gohir, Chaudhri (Jullundur South — Muhammadan, Rural)

162. Waryam Singh, Sardar (Batala — Sikh, Rural)

163. Wazir Muhammad, Malik (Inner Lahore — Muhammadan, Urban)

164. Zafar-ul-Haq, Chaudhri (Rawalpindi Sadar — Muhammadan, Urban)

165. Zafarullah Khan Jhanian, Chaudhri (Ajnala — Muhammadan, Rural)

166. Zafarullah Khan, Chaudhri (Gujranwala East — Muhammadan, Rural)

The above list shows that the seats were divided into different categories. The rest were declared as general, reserved, for towns, technocrats, etc. 

Muhammadan	86
Sikh	32
Christians	2
Anglo Indian	2

It was the second provincial assembly, elected under the Government of India Act of 1935. Some names, which I found familiar or interesting include, Diwan Bahdur S.P. Singha, the speaker, Malik Khizar Hayat Khan Tiwana, Premier, MRs Rameshwari Nehru, a relative of Pundit Nehru, Master Tara Singh, a firebrand Akali leader and Raja Ghazanfar Ali Khan the representative of my native constituency of Pind Dadan Khan and later a minister in the interim government of India.

The above map show the Provinces of British India and the princely states.

This map shows the location of Muslim majority provinces and the princely states with Muslim majority or ruled by Muslim rulers.

According to the partition plan of 3 June, 1947, Punjab province was divided into East Punjab, with 12 non Muslims majority districts and West Punjab with 17 Muslim majority districts. This division was called notional division, pending the actual division decided by a boundary commission. The assembly was also divided into two parts. It was decided the if any of the two assemblies decided to divide the province between Pakistan and India, the boundary commission will decide the new border. The assembly of West Punjab decided in favour of united Punjab, but the assembly of East Punjab decided 50 to 22 in favour of division.

The above map shows the notional division of Punjab, based on the simple majorities of Mulim and non Mulim population. West Punjab was given three western division of Rawalpindi, Multan and Lahore, except the district of Amritsat. While East Punjab got Jullundur and Amabala divisions, plus the district of Amritsar.

The above map shows the Muslim majority tehsils (in case of Dasuya, Muslims + Christians) and Hindu and Sikhs majority tehsils. Princely states are also shown. 

As usual, at the end I would like to invite my readers for give their valuable comments and would appreciate, any additional information related to this subject. 

Tariq Amir

May 21, 2016.Doha - Qatar.