Congress lawmakers spent Monday night inside the Punjab assembly, seeking a debate on the no-confidence motion against the ruling SAD-BJP government, which was defeated by voice vote.
About 23 Congress legislators are still inside the Punjab assembly, after security officials refused to allow other congress legislators from joining them, according to senior Congress leader Bhushan Ashu.
"We will continue to stay here in the assembly till our demand for allowing debate on the no-confidence motion is allowed," Mr Ashu said. "Police is not allowing our MLAs to enter the assembly complex," he added.
Earlier, officials at the Punjab assembly had switched off electricity inside the assembly premises but the supply was later resumed by the staff. Protesting legislators were also supplied with refreshments from the supporting staff through the night.
The assembly is not in session today on account of Id-ul-Zuha.
Senior Congress leaders Ambika Soni, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, Raj Kumar Verka and Lal Singh were among the legislators not allowed inside the assembly today. They joined other Congress workers in a protest outside the assembly saying the government was "murdering democracy".
"Everyday farmers are committing suicide, and there are other burning issues. If Congress legislators are not allowed to speak, then it is undemocratic," Ms Soni said.
"Our fight is for the people of Punjab. We will take the fight to streets," she said.
Senior Congress leader Lal Singh said that in his over 40 years as a legislator he had "never seen the opposition being forced to stay throughout the night in the Vidhan Sabha."
A no-confidence motion against the state government was moved on several ground including "failure of the state government to protect the interests of Punjab on the Sutlej Yamuna Link canal issue, deteriorating law and order situation in the state, emergence of mafia groups, rampant corruption, deteriorating fiscal position of the state and failure in apprehending culprits behind the Bargari sacrilege case."
