LIVE Updates: Akal Takht directs Punjab govt to put sacrilege law on hold; AAP MLAs admit signing Bill without reading it
Sri Akal Takht Sahib has directed the Punjab Government to keep the law on hold until the objections raised by the Sikh Panth are resolved.
The Jathedar said the government should address all concerns raised by the Panth within one month.
He further stated that a detailed copy of the Panth's objections and recommendations regarding the legislation would be submitted to the Punjab government at the earliest for necessary action.
During the proceedings at Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the Jathedar asked AAP MLA Gurpreet Singh whether he had read the law and questioned him about the meaning of the term "custodian" in the proposed legislation.
Responding to the query, Gurpreet Singh said the role of the custodian would be clearly defined during the drafting process. He added that the provisions would be made explicit and that the intention of the law was to ensure that no guilty person escapes punishment. He also said any recommendations made by Sri Akal Takht Sahib would be incorporated.
The Jathedar then questioned why the Dera Sacha Sauda chief had not been brought to Punjab despite the state government filing a chargesheet against him.
Gurpreet Singh replied that chargesheets had been filed against all those whom the Special Investigation Team (SIT) found responsible. However, when asked what efforts the Punjab government had made to bring the Dera Sacha Sauda chief to Punjab, the MLA did not offer a response.
Sukhpal Singh Khaira:
"The Punjab Legislative Assembly functions in a paperless mode. We received the Bill online only when the Assembly session began."
"We simply did not get enough time to read and understand the Bill. We are not experts who can immediately grasp every legal provision."
"Even today, I am still trying to understand the definition of the term 'custodian' used in the Bill."
"By that interpretation, even Sri Akal Takht Sahib could, in the future, be held responsible in certain situations."
"We raised these concerns and requested more time for deliberation."
"We also asked why the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), an elected body, was not consulted before introducing the legislation."
"Our objections are on record. We questioned why this Bill was brought in such a secretive manner and with such urgency."
"I am confident that many Cabinet ministers themselves had not read the Bill thoroughly."
"The Opposition was given only 20 minutes to speak on such an important piece of legislation."
Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa
"Jathedar Ji, the draft of the Bill was approved during the Cabinet meeting held on April 11."
"We received the Bill on April 13."
"As our Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Leader also stated, we objected and requested that more time be given for discussion."
"However, our request was not accepted."
"We were told that only two minutes would be given to speak, but in reality, we were not even given the opportunity to present our views in the House."
Bibi Ganieve Kaur:
"I did not attend the Assembly session."
"The directive from Sri Akal Takht Sahib was that approval should first be obtained before the Bill was passed. That is why I chose not to attend."
"I felt there was no point in going to the House because members are not allowed to speak freely."
"Whenever someone tries to raise an issue, they are insulted and humiliated. Such disrespect is shown without any thought, and members are often subjected to humiliation instead of being heard."
Kulwant Singh also denied reading the Draft.
Acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj
"Had you read the Bill?"
Jagroop Singh:
"No, I had not read it."
He further admitted that although he had given his approval, he had not actually read the Bill before doing so.
Acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj:
"When it was suggested that consultations should be held, why were they not? Whenever a law is drafted, the draft is usually made public and stakeholders are consulted. On what date did your Cabinet approve this Amendment Bill?"
Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan:
"It was approved on the day of 13 April, by Guru Sahib's grace."
Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj:
"Sardar Pargat Singh, when did the draft reach you after it was approved by the Cabinet?"
Pargat Singh:
"It reached us around 9 pm on April 12. At 8:50 PM, I had even released a video requesting that Singh Sahibs be consulted because the atmosphere was becoming highly charged."
"I had also addressed the media on April 5, and even before that, I had repeatedly raised this matter."
"Cases of sacrilege have been occurring since 2015, yet no one wants to discuss them, regardless of which party is in power."
"My only question is: why should there not be a proper discussion? Eventually, all these cases will end up in court. No one even wants to mention the name of Ram Rahim, although everyone knows the background of this Bill."
"Today, Maharashtra is also introducing similar legislation. Our only request is that such matters should be considered carefully and after due deliberation."
"Instead, an atmosphere is created where anyone seeking discussion is branded as being against the Bill or even as a traitor."
"We were not given enough time to study the draft properly. Political leaders cannot be expected to understand every legal and religious aspect without consultation."
"I believe that even today, as we are all sitting together, there is still room for meaningful dialogue. Had the government consulted Sikh intellectuals at the very beginning, a constructive solution could have emerged. Unfortunately, the government did not provide sufficient time for that process."
Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said he had requested the Speaker that a Select Committee, headed by Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar, had already been constituted under Section 224 to examine the matter and submit its report.
He stated that the law itself requires the committee to complete its work, adding that the panel has been working on the issue for the past nine months. According to Bajwa, the committee's report should first be tabled in the Punjab Assembly before any further legislative action is taken.
Bajwa said the committee had consulted various stakeholders, including Sikh advisors, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), and Sant Samaj representatives. He questioned what views and recommendations had been included in the committee's report.
He had urged the Speaker to first allow a detailed discussion on the Select Committee's findings and then extend the Assembly session by an additional day to debate the new Bill.
Bajwa added that while the Opposition welcomes the government's efforts to introduce legislation, the committee's report—prepared after extensive consultations over nine months—should be presented and debated before taking up the proposed Bill.
The Ardas was led in the presence of acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and Jathedar of Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj
Also present were Head Granthi of Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib, Giani Baljit Singh, Giani Kewal Singh, and Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Giani Tek Singh.
Panj Piaras of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, including Giani Mangal Singh, were also present
AAP ,inisters and MLAs arrive at Sri Harmandir Sahib ahead of appearance at Sri Akal Takht Sahib
ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਅੱਗੇ ਪੇਸ਼ ਹੋਣ ਜਾ ਰਹੇ ਆਪ ਦੇ ਵਿਧਾਇਕ ਸਾਹਿਬਾਨ ਜੀਓ,
— Sunil Jakhar (@sunilkjakhar) June 29, 2026
ਹਰ ਵਾਰ ਦੀ ਤਰਾਂ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਕੀ ਬੋਲਣਾ ਹੈ ਤੇ ਕੀ ਨਹੀਂ, ਇਸ ਬਾਬਤ ਦਿੱਲੀ ਤੋਂ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ ਫੁਰਮਾਨ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਹੱਥ ਫੜਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ, ਕਿ ਇਸ ਨੂੰ ਸਾਇਨ ਕਰਕੇ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਕਾਲ ਤਖ਼ਤ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਤੇ ਦੇਣਾ ਹੈ।
ਪਰ ਯਾਦ ਰੱਖੋ, ਇਹ ਸੱਚੇ ਪਾਤਿਸਾਹ ਦਾ ਤਖਤ ਹੈ, ਇਹ ਕੋਈ…
AAP MLA Gurdit Sekhon avoided answering questions raised by PTC News
MLAs allegedly met the Chief Minister despite directions issued by Sri Akal Takht Sahib
The meeting with the Chief Minister reportedly took place after demands to declare CM Bhagwant Mann as Guru Dokhi and Panth Virodhi
Gurdit Sekhon declined to respond when asked whether the meeting amounted to a violation of Sri Akal Takht Sahib's directives
The AAP MLA refused to answer repeated questions from PTC News on the issue.
All Sikh ministers and MLAs to appear before Sri Akal Takht Sahib
The appearance of ministers and legislators is scheduled for 11 am
MLAs will arrive under the leadership of Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan
Non-Sikh ministers and MLAs will submit their responses in writing
MLAs from the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal will also appear before Sri Akal Takht Sahib
Independent MLAs are also expected to remain present at Sri Akal Takht Sahib
LIVE Updates: Punjab Assembly's Sikh ministers and legislators are scheduled to appear before Sri Akal Takht Sahib today to present their clarification regarding the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026. The proceedings are expected to begin at 11 am and all major developments will be updated here as they happen.
Sikh ministers and MLAs from both the ruling party and the Opposition will personally appear before the acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, to explain their position on the recently passed legislation.
Members belonging to the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal are also expected to remain present during the proceedings.
While Sikh legislators have been directed to appear in person, non-Sikh ministers and MLAs have been instructed to submit their responses in writing. Independent MLAs are also expected to mark their presence at Sri Akal Takht Sahib during today's proceedings.
The Punjab Legislative Assembly currently has 89 Sikh MLAs and 28 non-Sikh MLAs.
Sri Akal Takht Sahib has instructed all Sikh legislators to appear personally, whereas non-Sikh legislators have been asked to convey their stand through written submissions.
The appearance of Punjab's Sikh ministers and legislators before Sri Akal Takht Sahib comes amid the ongoing discussion surrounding the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026. The hearing is expected to be closely watched by political parties, Sikh organisations and the public, given its religious and political significance.
LIVE Updates
Stay tuned to this page for the latest LIVE updates, key statements, and important developments from Sri Akal Takht Sahib throughout the day.
- PTC NEWS
