Punjab Legislative Assembly Post Print

West Punjab Legislative Assembly 1947

Aug 15, 1947 to Jan 25, 1949

On August 14, 1947, the sovereign state of Pakistan came into existence under the Indian Independence Act, 1947. Till such time the constituent Assembly promulgated a constitution for the country, the Government of India Act 1935, mutatis mutandis, was adopted as the provisional constitution under the Pakistan (Provisional Constitution) Order 1947.

As a result of the voting in the Punjab Legislative Assembly 1946 held on June 23, 1947, the Assembly had been divided into West Punjab Legislative Assembly and the East Punjab

Legislative Assembly.

All sitting members of the Punjab Legislative Assembly 1946, elected from constituencies included in the Province of West Punjab (their number being 91), were declared to have been elected to the renamed West Punjab Legislative Assembly with effect from August 15, 1947.

The first sitting was held on January 5, 1948. Sir Robert Francis Mudie, Governor of West Punjab appointed Mr Muhammad Jamal Khan Leghari to perform the duties of Speaker till new Speaker was elected. The second session, which was also the last session of the Assembly, was held from March 15, 1948 to April 9, 1948.

This Assembly had held 29 sittings over two sessions when the Governor dissolved it on January 25, 1949. In this way, the first Assembly after independence remained on ground for a period of 1 year, 5 months and 11 days.

• Issued under subsection (2) of section 8 of the Indian Independence Act 1947, subsequently, however, the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan 1956 replaced it with effect from March 23, 1956.
• Section 5(1) of the Pakistan (Provincial Legislatures) Order 1947 (GGO 19 of 1947), published in the Gazette of Pakistan (Extraordinary), dated September 13, 1947, pages 85-86.
• Proceedings, West Punjab Legislative Assembly, January 5, 1948, page 1