Punjab cabinet clears anti-sacrilege bill mandating with punishment up to life imprisonment
The proposed amendments also include a fine between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 25 lakh for those found guilty of desecration.
Anti-sacrilege bill: The Punjab Council of Ministers on Saturday approved the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which proposes strict punishment ranging from a minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment for acts of sacrilege. The Bill is set to be tabled in a special session of the Punjab Legislative Assembly on Monday.
The proposed amendments also include a fine between Rs 5 lakh and Rs 25 lakh for those found guilty of desecration. Harpal Singh Cheema said the government plans to strengthen existing state law by adding provisions that ensure stringent punishment for those who disrespect the Guru Granth Sahib.
He clarified that since it is a state law, it would not require Presidential assent and would come into effect immediately after passage. Cheema also noted that masterminds behind such incidents often evade arrest by using vulnerable individuals, and the amended law aims to hold those orchestrating such acts accountable as well.
Referring to past incidents, he said acts of sacrilege involving the Guru Granth Sahib and other sacred texts have deeply hurt public sentiments and disturbed social harmony. He added that many such cases were reported during the 2012–17 tenure of the Shiromani Akali Dal–Bharatiya Janata Party government.
While Sections 298, 299, and 300 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita address related offences, Cheema said they do not provide sufficiently strong deterrents. The state government believes stricter legal measures are necessary to protect religious sanctity and promote communal harmony.
Separately, the Cabinet also approved a plan to install solar-powered street lights in 11,500 villages across Punjab. The state government will bear 70% of the cost (₹380 crore), while the remaining 30% (₹170 crore) will be funded by local gram panchayats.