List of Chief Ministers of Punjab: Aam Aadmi Party leader Bhagwant Mann will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Punjab on March 16, 2022, in freedom fighter Bhagat Singh's birthplace and village, Khatkar Kalan.
The Chief Minister heads the state government in India. He holds de facto executive authority while the Governor is de jure head of the state.
Article 164 of the Indian Constitution deals with the appointment of the Chief Minister and other Ministers by the Governor.
Charanjit Singh Channi was the 16th Chief Minister of Punjab. Check the complete list of Chief Ministers of Punjab from 1947 to the present.
List of Chief Ministers of Punjab (1947-2022)
| S.No. | Chief Minister | Tenure | Party |
| 1. | Gopi Chand Bhargava | 15 August 1947 - 13 April 1949 | Indian National Congress |
| 2. | Bhim Sen Sachar | 13 April 1949 - 18 October 1949 | Indian National Congress |
| (1) | Gopi Chand Bhargava | 18 October 1949 - 20 June 1951 | Indian National Congress |
| President's Rule | 20 June 1951 - 17 April 1952 | ||
| (2) | Bhim Sen Sachar | 17 April 1952 - 23 January 1956 | Indian National Congress |
| 3. | Partap Singh Kairon | 23 January 1956 - 21 June 1964 | Indian National Congress |
| (1) | Gopi Chand Bhargava | 21 June 1964 - 6 July 1964 | Indian National Congress |
| 4. | Ram Kishan | 7 July 1964 - 5 July 1966 | Indian National Congress |
| President's Rule | 5 July 1966 - 1 November 1966 | ||
| 5. | Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir | 1 November 1966 - 8 March 1967 | Indian National Congress |
| 6. | Gurnam Singh | 8 March 1967 - 25 November 1967 | Akali Dal - Sant Fateh Singh (BJS-CPI) |
| 7. | Lachhman Singh Gill | 25 November 1967 - 23 August 1968 | Punjab Janta Party (INC) |
| President's Rule | 23 August 1968 - 17 February 1969 | ||
| (6) | Gurnam Singh | 17 February 1969 - 27 March 1970 | SAD-BJS |
| 8. | Parkash Singh Badal | 27 March 1970 - 14 June 1971 | Shiromani Akali Dal (BJS) |
| President's Rule | 14 June 1971 - 17 March 1972 | ||
| 9. | Zail Singh | 17 March 1972 - 30 April 1977 | Indian National Congress |
| President's Rule | 30 April 1977 - 20 June 1977 | ||
| (8) | Parkash Singh Badal | 20 June 1977 - 17 February 1980 | Shiromani Akali Dal (JP-CPI) |
| President's Rule | 17 February 1980 - 6 June 1980 | ||
| 10. | Darbara Singh | 6 June 1980 - 6 Octo0ber 1983 | Indian National Congress |
| President's Rule | 6 Octo0ber 1983 - 29 September 1985 | ||
| 11. | Surjit Singh Barnala | 29 September 1985 - 11 June 1987 | Shiromani Akali Dal |
| President's Rule | 11 June 1987 - 25 February 1992 | ||
| 12. | Beant Singh | 25 February 1992 - 31 August 1995 | Indian National Congress |
| 13. | Harcharan Singh Brar | 31 August 1995 - 21 November 1996 | Indian National Congress |
| 14. | Rajinder Kaur Bhattal | 21 November 1996 - 11 February 1997 | Indian National Congress |
| (8) | Parkash Singh Badal | 12 February 1997 - 26 February 2002 | Shiromani Akali Dal (BJP) |
| 15. | Amarinder Singh | 26 February 2002 - 1 March 2007 | Indian National Congress |
| (8) | Parkash Singh Badal | 1 March 2007 - 16 March 2017 | Shiromani Akali Dal (BJP) |
| (15) | Amarinder Singh | 16 March 2017 - 18 September 2021 | Indian National Congress |
| 16. | Charanjit Singh Channi | 20 September 2021 - 16 March 2022 | Indian National Congress |
| 17. | Bhagwant Mann | 16 March 2022 - Incumbent | Aam Aadmi Party |
A Brief History of present-day Punjab
Punjab Province was headquartered in Lahore and under the Government of India Act 1935, a bicameral legislature was set up with a legislative assembly and a legislative council with a government headed by the Prime Minister.
Post the partition of India, the Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) was formed. It was inaugurated on 15 July 1948 and was formally designated as a state in 1950. PEPSU was earlier headed by the Premier and the Chief Minister became the head of the government in the state in 1952.
Following the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, the PEPSU was mostly merged with East Punjab. East Punjab was formed in 1947 and was renamed Punjab in 1950. On 1 November 1966, Haryana was carved out of Punjab, and several other northeastern districts were merged into Himachal Pradesh.