HC puts MHA on notice over petition seeking SGPC polls

CHANDIGARH:The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday put the Union home ministry and gurdwara election commission, Chandigarh, on notice on a petition seeking elections to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) board. The high court bench of justice MMS Bedi has sought response from both respondents by March 31.

The board, which comprises 170 elected members, remains in function for five years. The last board was notified on December 16, 2011.

Petitioner Baldev Singh Sirsa of Amritsar told the court that the Centre is required to notify fresh elections to the board, as its five years expired on December 16, 2016. He said a representation in this regard had been submitted to the Centre, but it had not taken any decision so far.

The HC had declared the SGPC House elected in 2011 null and void that year following its decision restoring voting rights of Sehajdhari Sikhs. The SGPC had appealed against the decision in the Supreme Court, which upheld the elections, soon after the Parliament amended the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925, to bar Sehajdharis from voting in the SGPC elections last year. The new House met for the first time in November 2016 and elected Kirpal Singh Badungar as its president.

The board is constituted under Part 3 of the Sikh Gurdwara Act, with office-bearers including president, senior vice-president, junior vice-president, general secretary and 11 executive committee members.