The Punjab governor and UT administrator, Shivraj V Patil, on Thursday administered the oath of office and secrecy to Gulzar Singh Ranike as cabinet minister of the state in a brief ceremony at Punjab Raj Bhawan in the presence of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal.
Disclosing this, a spokesperson of the chief minister's office said that with this the total strength of the cabinet had increased to 16 including chief minister and his deputy.
Earlier, the chief secretary Rakesh Singh conducted the proceedings of the ceremony with the permission of the governor.
After being sworn in Ranike signed the oath, which was counter signed by the governor.
Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker Charanjeet Singh Atwal, and cabinet ministers Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Sarwan Singh Phillaur and Sikander Singh Maluka were among prominent dignitaries who attended swearing in ceremony.