CHANDIGARH: The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, on Monday gave the Punjab government one month to amend the Jaagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, and submitted a detailed list of objections to the legislation.
After a two-hour hearing, the legislators assured the Akal Takht that the objections would be addressed and suitable amendments would be made within the stipulated period.
Acting Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj said legislation related to sacrilege must reflect the sentiments of the Sikh community and asked the government to amend the law within a month.
He also handed over a list of objections to the legislators, including replacing the word "saroop" with "bir" where appropriate.
Gargaj said the Punjab Assembly had no authority to decide Sikh religious terminology and maintained that such matters fall within the jurisdiction of the Akal Takht.
CHANDIGARH: The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, on Monday gave the Punjab government one month to amend the Jaagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, and submitted a detailed list of objections to the legislation.
Sikh MLAs and Cabinet ministers from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), along with legislators from the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), appeared before the five Sikh high priests to explain the passage of the law without consultation with the Akal Takht and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
After a two-hour hearing, the legislators assured the Akal Takht that the objections would be addressed and suitable amendments would be made within the stipulated period.
Acting Akal Takht Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj said legislation related to sacrilege must reflect the sentiments of the Sikh community and asked the government to amend the law within a month. He also handed over a list of objections to the legislators, including replacing the word "saroop" with "bir" where appropriate.
Gargaj said the Punjab Assembly had no authority to decide Sikh religious terminology and maintained that such matters fall within the jurisdiction of the Akal Takht. He, however, said he had no objection to punishing those guilty of desecrating the Guru Granth Sahib.
