SGPC poll not likely before June ’24

SGPC poll not likely before June ’24

Amritsar:In an attempt towards “cleaning the gurdwaras from political interference”, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today announced the revision of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) voter list from October 21. The list will also include the names of fresh voters.

CM Mann said, “The election will pave the way for a democratically elected SGPC. It is unfortunate that an interim body with a provisional president is running the affairs of the Sikh body. It is also unfortunate that decisions of the apex body are pre-scripted by the Akali leadership.”

Talking to The Tribune, spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party Malwinder Singh Kang said, “The elections are conducted by the Gurdwara Election Commission. The AAP will neither participate in the elections, nor interfere in matters pertaining to the religion. We just want to clean the gurdwara politics. The SGPC is nothing more than a personal fiefdom of the Badals.”

Reacting to the CM’s statement, spokesperson of SAD Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said, “The Gurdwara Election Commission had already issued instructions for the elections on May 25. Control yourself as your comments tantamount to interfering in the election process. The election commission is competent. Let it carry out its exercise. Principally speaking, the CM should not comment on the SGPC elections.”

Dr Cheema was referring to the communication from the Chief Election Commissioner, gurdwara elections, Justice SS Saron (retd), to the Chief Secretary and all DCs for preparing electoral rolls for the elections.

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said, “The CM should let the administration carry out the job independently.”

There have been no SGPC elections since September 2011. During the last general election, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Sant Samaj had together secured 157 seats of the total 170 seats.