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1937 Punjab Provincial Assembly election

1936-37 1946 →
175 seats of the Punjab Provincial Assembly 88 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	64.23%
First party Second party Third party   Leader Sikandar Hayat Khan Gopi Chand Bhargava Sundar Singh Majithia Party Unionist INC KNP Leader's seat North Punjab (Landholders) (Muhammadans) Lahore City (General-Urban) Batala (Sikh-Rural) Seats won 98 18 13
Elected Premier Sikandar Hayat Khan Unionist

First Provincial assembly election was held in Punjab in the winter of 1936-37 as mandated by the Government of India Act 1935.

Background

After the passing of Government of India act 1935, Provincial assembly was set up in Punjab. It consisted 175 constituencies. Out of these 159 were single-member constituencies and 8 were double-members constituencies. In double-members constituencies one was reserved for the Schedule Caste according to Poona Pact. In double constituencies each voter had two votes to cast his vote, one for SC candidate and one for general candidate but considered as one vote to calculate voter turnout.

All 175 constituencies were reserved on the basis of religion. It was as follows:-

^Special constituencies (non-territory constituency) were further divided into Categories and sub-categories as follow:-

• Women - 4
  • General - 1
  • Mohammadans - 2
  • Sikhs - 1
• European - 1
• Anglo-Indian - 1
• Indian Christian - 2
• Punjab Commerce and Industry - 1
• Landholders - 5
  • General - 1
  • Mohammadans - 3
  • Sikhs - 1
• Trade and Labour Unions - 3
• University - 1

Election schedule

The election schedule was as follows:-

Voter Statistics

During 1937 election there were total 27,84,646 voters. Out of these 64.23% voters cast their votes.

26,66,149 voters were in Territorial Constituencies and 1,18,497 were in Non-Territorial Constituencies.

In territorial constituencies the highest number of voters (39,290) were in '24-Hoshiarpur West (General-Rural)' and lowest number of voters (5,496) were in '62-Tarn Taran (Muhammadan-Rural)'. The highest vote turnout (89.87%) registered in '81-Shahpur (Muhammadan-Rural)' and lowest (3.93%) registered in '122-Ambala North (Sikh-Rural)'.

In Non-Territorial Constituencies the highest number of voters (58,106) were in '153-Amritsar (Women-Sikh)' and lowest number of voters (10) were in '163-Baluch Tumandars (Landholders)'. Highest vote turnout (98.35%) was registered in '158-Punjab Commerce and Industry (Commerce and Industry)' and lowest (40.53%) registered in '151-Inner Lahore (Women-Mohammadan)'.

Results

Category wise result

Special (18)

• Women (4)
  • General (1)
    • Indian National Congress - 1
  • Mohammadans (2)
    • Independents - 2
  • Sikhs (1)
    • Shiromani Akali Dal - 1
• European (1)
  • Independent - 1
• Anglo Indian (1)
  • Independent - 1
• Indian Christian (2)
  • Unionist Party - 2
• Punjab Commerce and Industry (1)
  • Independent - 1
• Landholders (5)
  • General (1)
    • Hindu Election Board - 1
  • Mohammadans (3)
    • Unionist Party - 3
  • Sikhs (1)
    • Khalsa National Party - 1
• Trade and Labour Unions (3)
  • Hindu Election Board - 1
  • Indian National Congress - 1
  • Unionist Party - 1
• University (1)
  • Independent - 1

Constituency wise result

Color key for the Party of Candidates

•   Indian National Congress
•   Shiromani Akali Dal
•   Unionist Party
•   Independent
•   Khalsa National Party
•   Hindu Election Board
•   Majlis-e-Ahrar-ul-Islam
•   All-India Muslim League
•   Congress Nationalist Party

Other color keys

•   Candidate Elected Unopposed
•   Constituency reserved for Schedule Caste

General Urban

General Rural

Muhammadan Urban

Muhammadan Rural

Sikh Urban

Sikh Rural

Special

Government formation

After the result Unionist party got majority in the assembly on its own. Unionist Party leader Sikandar Hayat Khan claimed the formation of Government in the State. Khalsa National Board and Hindu Election Board also joined the government.

On 5 April 1937 Sikandar Hayat Khan formed the Government and 5 other members also took oath. The ministers and their ministries were as follows:-

On 2 April 1941 after the death of Sundar Singh Majithia, the ministry of Development was handed over to Dasaundha Singh (KNP) from Jagraon (Sikh-Rural) constituency. In 1942 after Sikandar-Baldev Pact KNP leader and minister Dasaundha Singh was removed from the cabinet and Baldev Singh joined the cabinet.

On 26 December 1945 Sikandar Hayat Khan died due to a heart attack. Malik Khizar Hayat Tiwana succeeded him on 30 December 1945.

References

1. Elections in Punjab 1920-1947 (Pdf),(p. 16), Book by Kirpal C. Yadav. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
2. Elections in Punjab 1920-1947 (Pdf),(p. 84), Book by Kirpal C. Yadav. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
3. Political Development and Political Parties in Punjan 1849-1948 (Pdf), (p. 74), Pakistan Journal of Social Science Vol. 29, No. 1 (June 2009) pp. 65-78. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
4. Turmoil in Punjab politics Book by Subhash Chandra Arora. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
5. Turmoil in Punjab politics Book by Subhash Chandra Arora. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
6. Sikandar-Baldev Pact. www.thesikhencyclopedia.com. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
7. Firoz Khan Noon to Khizar Hayat Khan, 21 August 1945, SHC/Punjab vol. IV, 15.

• Political history of India
• Political history of Pakistan
• 1937 elections in India
• 1937 in British India
• State Assembly elections in Punjab, India
• Provincial Assembly elections in British India