Administrative Set-up of Punjab | Punjab State (PPSC) PSC: Preparation - PPSC PCS (Punjab) PDF Download

Punjab Executive

The State Executive in Punjab is made up of the Governor, Chief Minister, State Council of Ministers, and the Advocate General.

Governor

According to Article 153 of the Indian Constitution, there must be a Governor for each state. The President of India appoints the Governor. The Governor's powers and functions at the state level are similar to those of the President at the national level. As the constitutional or nominal head of the State Executive, the Governor is bound by the advice of the State Council of Ministers.

Historical Context. Before the partition in 1859, the office of the Lieutenant Governor was established in undivided Punjab. In 1947, Punjab was divided into West Punjab (now in Pakistan) and East Punjab. Sir Francis Mudie became the first Governor of West Punjab, and Sir Chandulal Madhavlal Trivedi became the first Governor of East Punjab in independent India.

Since 1985, the Governor of Punjab has also served as the Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh. There have been 34 Governors in Punjab, with VP Singh Badnore serving as the 35th Governor since August 22, 2016. The Governor of Punjab has various powers, including executive, legislative, ordinance-making, and the power to grant pardons.

Governors of Punjab

Chief Minister

• Since 1947, Punjab has had 15 Chief Ministers. The first Chief Minister was Dr. Gopi Chand Bhargava, who served from August 15, 1947, to April 13, 1949.
• The current Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh of the Indian National Congress, has been in office since March 16, 2017.

Council of Ministers

• The Governor of Punjab appoints the Council of Ministers on the advice of the Chief Minister.
• The Council of Ministers holds the executive authority of the state and is responsible for various government departments.
• Under Article 163 of the Indian Constitution, the Governor acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers, headed by the Chief Minister.

Advocate General

• The Advocate General is the legal advisor to the State Government in India, a position similar to the Attorney General at the national level.
• This post is established by the Constitution of India, and the Governor appoints the Advocate General.

Punjab Legislature

Punjab Vidhan Sabha: An Overview

• The Punjab Vidhan Sabha, also known as the Punjab Legislative Assembly, was established after India gained independence, following the first elections in 1952 under the Constitution. Since its inception, this institution has been a cornerstone of democracy and the most effective representative body for the state of Punjab.

Historical Background

• The foundation for executive governance in India was laid under the Indian Council Act of 1861, which introduced the concept of the Executive Council.
• The Government of India Act, 1919, led to the establishment of the Legislative Council in Punjab.
• Subsequently, under the Government of India Act, 1935, the Punjab Legislative Assembly was formed on April 1, 1937.

Over the years, the composition and structure of the Punjab Legislature have changed. Initially, it was a bicameral legislature, consisting of the Vidhan Sabha (Lower House) and the Vidhan Parishad (Upper House).

• However, the Upper House, the Punjab Legislative Council, was abolished on January 1, 1970, resulting in a unicameral legislature.
• Following the Partition of 1947, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha lacked a permanent building and held its sessions in temporary accommodations, first in Shimla and later in Chandigarh.
• Finally, on March 6, 1961, the Vidhan Bhawan was established as its permanent home.

Punjab Legislative Assembly

• Members of the Vidhan Sabha are direct representatives of the people, elected by all adult citizens of the state. The Constitution of India stipulates a maximum of 500 members and a minimum of 60 members for the Vidhan Sabha.
• Currently, the Punjab Legislative Assembly comprises 117 members.
• The Governor has the authority to appoint one member to represent the Anglo-Indian community if it is deemed underrepresented in the House.

Powers and Functions

• The Legislative Assembly of Punjab holds various powers and functions, including:
• Legislative Powers: Enacting laws on various subjects.
• Financial Powers: Controlling the state’s finances and budget.
• Control over Executive: Overseeing the executive branch of the government.
• Constituent Power: Amending the Constitution.
• Electoral Functions: Conducting elections for various offices.
• Miscellaneous Functions: Performing other functions as prescribed by law.

Speaker of Legislative Assembly

The Speaker is in charge of all the meetings of the Vidhan Sabha. During these meetings, all speeches are directed to the Speaker. When the Legislative Assembly passes Bills, the Speaker's signature is required to authenticate them before they are sent to the Governor for approval. The Speaker's decision is final when it comes to determining whether a Bill is a Money Bill.

The Speaker is responsible for maintaining discipline during the proceedings of the House and has the authority to constitute various committees within the House. The first Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha was Kapur Singh, who served from 1947 to 1951. The first Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Legislative Assembly was Thakur Panchan Chand, who held office from November 3, 1947, to March 20, 1951.