List of leaders of the opposition in the Punjab Legislative Assembly

Official Opposition[2] is a term used in Punjab Legislative Assembly to designate the political party which has secured the second largest number of seats Punjab assembly. In order to get formal recognition, the party must have at least 10% of total membership of the Legislative Assembly. A single party has to meet the 10% seat criterion, not an alliance. Many of the Indian state legislatures also follows this 10% rule while the rest of them prefer single largest opposition party according to the rules of their respective houses. Punjab Legislative Assembly appointed the member of the second largest party as Leader of opposition.[3]

The Opposition's main role is to question the government of the day and hold them accountable to the public. The Opposition is equally responsible in upholding the best interests of the people of the country. They have to ensure that the Government does not take any steps, which might have negative effects on the people of the country.[4]

The role of the opposition in legislature is basically to check the excesses of the ruling or dominant party, and not to be totally antagonistic. There are actions of the ruling party which may be beneficial to the masses and opposition is expected to support such steps.[5]

In legislature, Opposition Party has a major role and must act to discourage the party in power from acting against the interests of the country and the common man. They are expected to alert the population and the Government on the content of any Bill, which is not in the best interests of the country.

Color Keys for the Party of Leader of opposition

•   Aam Aadmi Party
  (AAP)
•   Akali Dal - Sant Fateh Singh
  (AD-SF)
•   All-India Muslim League
  (AIML)
•   Bahujan Samaj Party
  (BSP)
•   Indian National Congress
  (INC)
•   Shiromani Akali Dal
  (SAD)

No.	Name (constituency)	Portrait	Tenure		Party		Assembly
Before Independence
1	Gopi Chand Bhargava (Lahore City)		1937	1940		INC	1st
2	Bhim Sen Sachar (N-W Town)		1940	1945
-	Vacant (assembly under dissolution)		1945	1946		-	-
3	Iftikhar Hussain Khan (Ferozpur General)		1946	1947		AIML	2nd
After Independence
-	Vacant (no opposition in assembly)		15 August 1947	17 April 1952		-	Interim Assembly
1	Gopal Singh khalsa (Jagraon)	N/A	17 April 1952	1 November 1956		SAD	1st
-	Vacant (all opposition members joined the government)		1 November 1956	9 April 1957		-
	Vacant (no official opposition in assembly)		9 April 1957	11 March 1962			2nd
2	Gurnam Singh (Raikot)		11 March 1962	5 July 1966		SAD	3rd
-	Vacant (state under President's rule)		5 July 1966	1 November 1966		-
(2)	Gurnam Singh (Raikot)		1 November 1966	8 March 1967		SAD
3	Gian Singh Rarewala (Payal)		9 March 1967	24 November 1967		INC	4th
(2)	Gurnam Singh (Qila Raipur)		24 November 1967	23 August 1968		AD-SF
-	Vacant (state under President's rule)		23 August 1968	17 February 1969		-	-
4	Major Harinder Singh (Ajnala)		17 February 1969	14 June 1971		INC	5th
-	Vacant (state under President's rule)		14 June 1971	16 March 1972		-	-
5	Jaswinder Singh Brar (Kotkapura)		16 March 1972	2 October 1972		SAD	6th
6	Prakash Singh Badal (Gidderbaha)		2 October 1972	30 April 1977
-	Vacant (state under President's rule)		30 April 1977	19 June 1977		-	-
7	Balram Jakhar (Abohar)		19 June 1977	17 February 1980		INC	7th
-	Vacant (state under President's rule)		17 February 1980	7 June 1980		-	-
(6)	Prakash Singh Badal (Gidderbaha)		7 June 1980	7 October 1983		SAD	8th
-	Vacant (state under President's rule)		7 October 1983	29 September 1985		-	-
8	Gurbinder Kaur Brar (Muktsar)	N/A	29 September 1985	11 May 1987		INC	9th
-	Vacant (state under President's rule)		11 May 1987	25 February 1992		-	-
9	Satnam Singh Kainth (Phillaur)	N/A	25 February 1992	12 February 1997		BSP	10th
10	Rajinder Kaur Bhattal (Lehra)		12 February 1997	10 October 1998		INC	11th
11	Chaudhary Jagjit Singh (Kartarpur)		10 October 1998	26 February 2002
(6)	Prakash Singh Badal (Lambi)		26 February 2002	1 March 2007		SAD	12th
(10)	Rajinder Kaur Bhattal (Lehra)		1 March 2007	14 March 2012		INC	13th
12	Sunil Kumar Jakhar (Abohar)		14 March 2012	11 December 2015			14th
13	Charanjit Singh Channi (Chamkaur Sahib)		11 December 2015	11 November 2016
-	Vacant (all opposition members resigned against SYL canal issue)		11 November 2016	16 March 2017		-
14	Harvinder Singh Phoolka (Dakha)		16 March 2017	9 July 2017		AAP	15th
15	Sukhpal Singh Khaira (Bholath)		9 July 2017	26 July 2018
16	Harpal Singh Cheema (Dirba)		27 July 2018	Incumbent