1920 Punjab Legislative Council election


First Provincial Legislative Council election was held in Punjab in 1920 as mandated by the Government of India Act 1919.

Introduction

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 [List of governors of Punjab (British India)|Punjab (British India)|Governor].
In 1920 the election was not contested on Party lines thus all elected candidates considered as Independent.
The term of the council was fixed for three years. The council, for first time, was presided by a nominated person designated as President and in his absence, an elected person designated as Deputy President.
The first election which was conducted in the house was of Deputy President between Mehtab Singh and Chaudhary M. Amin. Mehtab Singh won election by securing 48 votes, while Amin secured 37 Votes.
The First Council had held 98 meetings when the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab dissolved the council on 27 October 1923 after completion of three years tenure.

Distribution of seats

Special^
  • Punjab Landholders - 3
  • * General - 1
  • * Mohammadan - 1
  • * Sikh - 1
  • Baluch Tumandars - 1
  • Punjab Universities - 1
  • Punjab Commerce and Trade - 1
  • Punjab Industry - 1

Voter statistics

  • Total Voters - 5,33,812
  • Total Vote Turnout - 34.81%
  • Territorial Constituencies voters - 5,29,189
  • *Highest No. of Voters - 34,594 in South-Eastern Towns
  • *Lowest No. of Voters - 2,271 in Dera Gazi Khan
  • *Highest Turnout - 67% in Gujarat East
  • *Lowest Turnout - 2% in Amritsar City
  • Non-Territorial Constituencies voters - 4,623
  • *Highest No. of Voters - 1,984 in Punjab Universities
  • *Lowest No. of Voters - 11 in Baluch Tumandars
  • *Highest Turnout - 100% in Baluch Tumandars
  • *Lowesr Turnout - 43% in Punjab Universities

Election schedule

  • Election schedule in special constituencies were not same and the dates were different, unfortunately not available.

Constituency wise result

Candidate Elected Unopposed
General-Urban
S. No.ConstituencyWinner
1Lahore CityGanpat Rai
2Amritsar CityBhawani Shankar
3South-Eastern TownsAtma Ram
4North-Eastern TownsPanna Lal
5East-Western TownsDaulat Ram Kalia
6North-Western TownsThakur Das
7Western PunjabHari Chand

General-Rural
S. No.ConstituencyWinner
8HissarLajpat Rai
9South-Eastern RohtakSarup Singh
10North-Eastern RohtakLal Chad
11GurgaonBalbir Singh
12KarnalBans Gopal
13Ambala-SimlaDaya Ram
14KangraMotilal Kaistha
15HoshiarpurBeli Ram
16Jullundur-LudhianaMela Ram
17Lahore-Ferozpur-SheikhupuraGanpati Rai
18Amritsar-GurdaspurKharak Singh
19RawalpindiAmar Das
20MultanSewak Ram

Muhammadan-Urban
S. No.ConstituencyWinner
21Lahore CityMuharram Ali Chisti
22Amritsar CityYusuf Shah
23Western Punjab TownsAkbar Khan
24East West Central TownsNawab Din
25South-Eastern TownsMir Mohammed Khan

Muhammadan-Rural
S. No.ConstituencyWinner
26Gurgaon HissarHayat Khan
27AmbalaShafi Ali Khan
28Hoshiarpur LudhianaRai Wali Khan
29FerozpurPir Akbar Ali
30JullundurMohammed Jamil Khan
31Kangra GurdaspurAli Akbar
32LahoreMohammed Shah Nawaz
33AmritsarNabi Baksh
34SialkotMohammed Amin
35GujranwalaAttullah Khan
36SheikhupuraMohabat Ram
37Gujarat EastGhulam Muhammad Warraich
38Gujarat WestChaudhary Fazl Ali
39Shahpur EastGhulam Mohammed Shah
40Shahpur WestFiroz Khan Noon
41MianwaliSaifullah Khan
42AttockS. H. Khan
43RawalpindiPir Ali Hyder Shah
44JehlumKarimullah Khan
45Lyallpur NorthAmir Khan
46Lyallpur SouthMehdi Shah
47MontgomeryHusaini Shah
48Multan EastAhmed Yar Khan Daultana
49Multan WestRaza Shah Gilani
50JhangHussain Shah
51MuzaffargarhAbdullah Khan
52Dera Gazi KhanAllah Khan Drishak

Sikh-Urban
S. No.ConstituencyWinner
53Sikh UrbanMehtab Singh

Sikh-Rural
S. No.ConstituencyWinner
54Ambala DivisionRasa Singh
55Hoshiarpur KangaraBakhtawar Singh
56JullundurBalwant Singh
57LudhianaDasaundha Singh
58FerozpurKartar Singh
59LahoreSangat Singh
60AmritsarRaghbir Singh
61Sialkot GurdaspurRandhir Singh
62LyallpurDilbagh Singh
63Multan ShekhupuraBedi Hara Singh
64Rawalpindi GujranwalaHarnam Singh

'''Special'''