Lachhman Singh Gill

Sardar
Lachhman Singh Gill
12th Chief Minister of Punjab
In office
November 25, 1967  August 22, 1968
Preceded by Justice Gurnam Singh
Succeeded by President's Rule
Minister for Education and Revenue
In office
8 March 1967  22 November 1967
Personal details
Born 1917
Jagraon, Ludhiana
Died 26 April 1969
Chandigarh
Nationality Indian
Political party Shiromani Akali Dal
Religion Sikh

Lachhman Singh Gill was the 12th Chief Minister of Punjab.[1] He remained in this post from November 25, 1967 to August 22, 1968. He was a member of Shiromani Akali Dal(SAD), a Sikh-centered regional political party in Punjab.

Early life

He was born at Jagraon in Ludhiana district in 1917. Before joining politics he worked in the Punjab Works Department, Punjab.

Entry into politics

He started his political career during the Punjabi Suba movement in the 1950s. He became a member of the executive committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee(SGPC) in 1960. In 1966, he became a member of the Sikh Educational Committee for the management of Sikh colleges. In 1961, he became general secretary of the SGPC.[2]

Chief Ministership

In the 1962 General Elections for Punjab Legislative Assembly he won from Jagraon constituency.[3] He again got elected from Dharamkot in 1967 in the newly restructured Punjab.[4] In the subsequent United front government led by Akali Dal, he was appointed education minister and Justice Gurnam Singh became Chief Minister. On 22 November 1967, Lachhman Singh Gill revolted against the Gurnam Singh government and defected with 16 MLA's.[5][6] With the support of Congress he formed a minority government on 25 November 1967. However Congress pulled their support on 21 August 1968 and the government fell. President's rule was imposed in Punjab on 23 August. The major decision of Lachhman Singh Gill's government was to make Punjabi the official language of Punjab from 13 April 1968 onward.

Death

He died of a severe heart attack at Chandigarh on 26 April 1969.

References

Political offices
Preceded by
Justice Gurnam Singh
Chief Minister of Punjab
November 25, 1967 to August 22, 1968
Succeeded by
President's rule