A dangerous move, warns Sukhbir Badal Shaken, SAD to ask Justice Brar not to postpone SGPC elections
Chandigarh, September 1
Shiromani Akali Dal president (SAD) and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today lashed out at the Congress-led UPA government for withdrawal of the notification on the definition of the eligibility of the Sikh voters for the forthcoming SGPC poll.In a “strongly” worded statement here, the Shiromani Akali Dal president said, "The Congress has set itself up against the Khalsa Panth once again. It is clear that, like the French Royals, the Congress leaders at the Centre have learnt no lessons from history." Describing the Centre's move as "dangerous", he said, "Sensing a historic defeat of its cronies during the forthcoming poll to the Sikh religious body, the Congress rulers in Delhi and Punjab have made one more attempt to thwart Sikh religious aspirations…. The decision is last ditch effort by the Congress to avert an imminent and total humiliation of the Panthic Morcha."
Rescheduling of poll inevitable
The rescheduling of SGPC elections has become inevitable after withdrawal of the central notification barring Sehajdhari Sikhs from participating in the SGPC poll. But a formal decision to postpone or reschedule the election will be taken only after an emergency meeting of the Gurdwara Election Commission tomorrow.
Chief Commissioner Gurdwara Election Commissioner Justice (Retd) HS Brar told The Tribune that any decision on the matter could only be taken after the commission get a copy of the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. “We are bound by any direction of the court, but before I can make any comment, I need to know what the order says. The commission will meet after it gets the orders and take a decision on its compliance. “I have only heard about the withdrawal of the Central Government’s notification on the television.”
However, since the Union Home Ministry has informed the High Court that it has withdrawn the notification of 2003 baring the Sehajdhari Sikhs from participating in the SGPC elections, it is only logical that the Gurdwara Election Commission will now have to prepare fresh electoral rolls to include the Sehajdhari Sikhs.
Candidates in a fix over canvassing
The candidates are in a fix whether to continue canvassing or to halt all activities till the commission makes an announcement. Also in a dilemma are at least six candidates who have been elected unopposed.
During the last SGPC elections in 2004, the Sehajdhari Sikhs were not allowed to vote although they were enrolled as voters. Prior to that, the Sehajdharis always participated in the SGPC elections. So far, the SGPC has seen 13 elections.The September 18 elections would have been the 14th.
Former media adviser to the SGPC, HS Bhanwar, said the general house had passed a resolution in 2003 to de-franchise the Sehajdharis. LK Advani was then the Union Home Minister in the NDA government and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was a part of the alliance. It was the SAD that got the NDA to pass the notification debarring the Sehajdhari’s from participating in the SGPC elections.
The Sehajdharis then filed a case in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, demanding restoration of their voting rights. At present, only an Amritdhari Sikh can contest the elections and only Keshdharis and Amritdhris can vote. The current voter strength is 55 lakh. The figure is likely to double if the Sehajdharis are included in the voters’ list.
The SGPC elections are held in Punjab, Haryana, HP and Chandigarh. In a house of 190, only 170 members are elected. Out of these, 157 are from Punjab, 11 from Haryana and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh. Thirty seats are reserved from women and 20 for SCs. The house co-opts 15 members. The five high priests are the invitees.
The Shiromani Akali Dal heldan emergency meeting of its core committee this evening to discuss the fallout of the Union Government’s decision to allow Sehajdhari Sikhs the voting rights in the SGPC elections. Senior Akali leaders, who deliberated the move till late in the night, have decided to lodge a strong protest against this “anti-Sikh move” of the Centre which they see as a a direct interference in the religious affairs of the Sikh community. A memorandum drafted by the core committee will be handed over to the Chief Commissioner Gurdwara Election Commission, Justice (retd) HS Brar by SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal tomorrow morning.
It is learnt that the party will demand that the elections not be postponed at this stage and the Union Government be asked to reverse its decision.
AISSF to move SC
The All-India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) has decided to move a petition in the Supreme Court against the decision of the Union Government to withdraw the notification issued on October 20, 2003, denying Sehajdhari Sikhs the right to vote in the SGPC elections.
Demanding that the ongoing election process should continue as notified by the government, AISSF president Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad said: “The Congress-led Union Government is directly interfering in the religious affairs of the Sikh community, which was evident from the withdrawal of this notification.”
THE GRAPEVINESAD patron and CM Parkash Singh Badal prevailed upon Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to get the SGPC elections conducted prior to the assembly elections in Punjab. But with the Congress leadership in the state viewing the poll as SAD’s “dress rehearsal” prior to the assembly elections, it suggested that it be postponed. The only way this was possible was to withdraw the 2003 notification. Out of the 170 SGPC members, the SAD did not give the party ticket to 90 members. These 90 members see the withdrawal of notification as a boon and are now considering forming a group to take on the SAD which had denied them the ticket.GURDWARA ACT
n The Sikh Gurdwara Act was passed in 1925n The SGPC elections were first held in 1926n Then in 1930,1936,1939, 1942 (till 1942 the term SGPC house had 3- year term), 1944 (the term increased to 5 years), 1955, 1960, 1965, 1979, 1996 and 2004
LONE EXCEPTION
In the history of the SGPC elections, it was only in 1939 that Bhai Khushi Ram, a Sehajdhari, was elected from Multan (now in Pakistan)
Till 1966, the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, was a state Act, but after the reorganisation of states into Punjab, Haryana, HP and Chandigarh, the Act became a Central Act. |
The withdrawal of the notification debarring Sehajdhari Sikhs from the SGPC elections has stunned the Sikhs. This is a second blow to the community after the Centre dropped the proposal for a separate Sikh Marriage Act a few days back. Perneet Singh in Amritsar talked to some Sikh leaders on the issue:
 This is a political conspiracy. The Congress foresaw the defeat of the groups in the SGPC elections backed by it. Hence, the withdrawal of the 2003 notification
— AS Makkar, SGPC chief
 It is a case of misuse of power by the Centre. It is an illegal move aimed at derailing the SGPC poll process. The Centre should have let the court decide if the notification was right or wrong
— SAD secy DS Cheema
 We will ensure that next time the voters’ lists are prepared for the SGPC polls, the DSGMC model is followed and voters are issued photo identity cards
— DSGMC chief PS Sarna
 The writ petition of Sehajdharis was pending for the past four years. If they had to withdraw the notification,why did they declare the elections?
— Noted lawyer HS Phoolka
 It is another double blow to the Sikhs after the decision to drop the move on Sikh Marriage Act. Neither the court nor the government has the right to decide the definition of a Sikh
 — SGPC former secretary MS Calcutta
Giving voting rights to Sehajdhari Sikhs may bring the Sikhs into a direct confrontation with the Centre. Sikhs will not allow non-Sikhs to administer their shrines
— Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh |
