SGPC polls: Electoral roll revision to start on October 21, says Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann

Chandigarh, October 4

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said the process to update the electoral rolls for the general house elections of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee will commence on October 21.

The process for revision of electoral rolls will begin on October 21, said Mann in a statement here.

It will pave the way for holding the elections, thereby ensuring that a democratically-elected Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) takes over the affairs, he said.

“It is unfortunate that an interim body with a provisional president is running the affairs of the body,” said Mann.

The state government will ensure that the elections for the premier Sikh body are held soon, he added.

In an apparent reference to the Akalis, Mann said it is unfortunate that the premier organisation of Sikhs has now become “a stooge in the hands of its masters”.

“Unfortunately, the decisions of this apex body are pre-scripted by the Akali leadership,” Mann said and added that they need to be ousted and free and fair elections are a must to achieve that.

“All the decisions are dictated, decided and delivered by the Badal family. It is unfortunate that the personal interests of those at the helm of affairs in the SGPC are harming the interests of ‘sangat’,” said Mann.

“The wise people will never forgive these culprits for this sin against humanity,” he said.

In May, Justice SS Saron (retd) —the chief commissioner of gurdwara elections—wrote to the chief secretary to prepare the electoral rolls.

The SGPC general house has 191 members, comprising 170 elected by Sikh voters, 15 co-opted and six sitting heads of Sikh temporal seats, and the Golden Temple head priest.

The general house elects an 11-member executive body, including the president and the general secretary, to run the SGPC’s day-to-day affairs.

At present, the Shiromani Akali Dal led by Sukhbir Singh Badal has a majority in the house.