Historic first: Sikhs set to elect Haryana's gurdwara management body

Excitement is palpable across Haryana as Sikhs prepare to elect the first Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) governing body. This election marks the culmination of a decades-long struggle to establish a separate management system for Haryana’s 52 historical gurdwaras, previously overseen by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

The Haryana Gurdwara Election Commission, led by Justice (retd) HS Bhalla, has made extensive arrangements for the election, scheduled for January 19. Voting will be conducted via electronic voting machines and the results will also be declared on the same day. "We are ensuring a fair and transparent election process," said Justice Bhalla.

Key statistics

Date of elections: January 19

Number of candidates: 164 across 40 wards

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Elected members: 40, who will form the HSGMC executive body

First unopposed candidate: Amanpreet Kaur, Ward-25 (Tohana)

Voter registration: Over 2.85 lakh registered; expected to cross 5 lakh

Gurdwaras managed: 52 historical gurdwaras in state

A total of 164 candidates are contesting across 40 wards. Prominent contenders include Jagdish Singh Jhinda, contesting from Ward-18 (Assandh), Didar Singh Nalvi from Ward-13 (Shahabad) and Baljit Singh Daduwal from Ward-35 (Kalwanwali). Amanpreet Kaur has already been elected unopposed from Ward-25 (Tohana).

The elections are a major milestone for Haryana’s Sikh community, who view this as an opportunity to independently manage gurdwara funds and affairs. “This is the first time the community will elect their governing body rather than having it nominated by the government,” said Gurvinder Singh Dhamija, former HSGMC general secretary.

Over 2.85 lakh voters have registered, with the Election Commission extending the deadline to January 10. This is expected to increase voter registrations to over 5 lakh. Angrej Singh Pannu, an Independent candidate from Ward-17, emphasised the importance of transparency in gurdwara management.

The journey to this election began in the late 1990s, gaining momentum during the 2005 Haryana Assembly elections. The Congress government under Bhupinder Singh Hooda enacted the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Act in 2014, creating an ad hoc 41-member committee led by Jhinda. However, legal challenges from SGPC delayed the elections. The Supreme Court upheld the Act’s constitutional validity in 2022, clearing the way for these historic elections.

Despite the excitement, tensions remain. Daduwal accused some groups of aligning with Punjab’s SAD (Badal) to regain control of Haryana’s gurdwaras. “The Sikh community struggled for independence and people will ensure no group compromises this hard-fought achievement,” he said.

For the Sikh community in Haryana, this election represents a new chapter, marking their long-awaited autonomy in managing their sacred spaces.