The development comes a few months after the Punjab Assembly passed a new law on April 13 that provides strict punishment for cases involving sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, including life imprisonment and heavy fines.

According to the directives all the legislators and including Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and cabinet ministers have been ordered to appear before the highest temporal body on June 29. 

The summons have been issued to all the legislators cutting across party lines, including Congress MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh, Congress leader Pargat Singh, AAP ministers Harpal Singh Cheema, Harjot Singh Bains, Balbir Singh and Gurmeet Singh Khudian, besides Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan. Non-Sikh ministers Sanjeev Arora, Aman Arora, Barinder Kumar Goyal, Lal Chand Kataruchak and Mahinder Bhagat have been asked to furnish written responses.

The move by Akal Takht Sahib is significant because the Sikh clergy has increasingly intervened in matters involving senior political leaders in Punjab in recent years.

Earlier this month, Akal Takht declared Bhagwant Mann a "Khalsa Panth virodhi" (someone opposed to the interests of the Sikh community) over a viral video linked to an alleged sacrilege issue. However, Mann rejected the allegation, claiming that the video was fabricated and that he did not appear in it.

The latest summonses are expected to add a new dimension to the ongoing political and religious debate surrounding the issue in Punjab.

Chadha alleged that the forensic report has been fabricated to cast a doubt on the authenticity of the video.

"The truth behind the original sacrilege video has now been exposed. Those who had doubts about whether the video was genuine or AI-generated have now seen that a fabricated forensic report had to be prepared to hide the original video. Had the video been fake, there would have been no need for such a report," Chadha alleged.

He further alleged that efforts had been made to challenge the authority of Akal Takht Sahib and claimed that many members of the Sikh community were upset, angry and demanding answers. He urged Sikh MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to clarify whether they supported the Sikh Panth and Akal Takht Sahib or Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.

Calling for a thorough investigation, Chadha demanded that authorities examine how the alleged forensic report was obtained, which officials were involved, whether public funds were used, and if any offences such as misuse of government money or money laundering had taken place.

He said that two demands were now being raised by members of the Sikh community: the immediate resignation of Bhagwant Mann as Chief Minister and the registration of the first FIR against him under Punjab's new anti-sacrilege law.

Claiming that Mann had lost the moral authority to continue in office, Chadha said the Chief Minister was no longer fit to remain in the position.

“Three persons were involved in the attack. Two of them have been arrested, while one is at large, and efforts are underway to nab him,” a senior police officer said.

A team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA), including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and two inspectors, visited the clinic on Wednesday and questioned its owner, Dr. Tarsem Garg, seeking details related to the incident.

Dr. Garg is the chief warden of the Civil Defence Corps in Bathinda and a former leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He also previously served as the state secretary of the Punjab State Traders' Commission.

The attack occurred on Monday night while Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was staying in Bathinda, less than a kilometre away from the clinic.

According to CCTV footage, two unidentified men arrived at the clinic, and one of them, with his face covered, threw a petrol bomb into the outer courtyard. The explosion damaged a scooter, destroyed some plants, and left burn marks on a window. Fortunately, no one was injured.

Dr. Garg said two staff members who were present at the clinic informed him about the incident and managed to put out the fire. Later, police and forensic teams visited the spot and collected evidence as part of the investigation.

The incident occurred while Kalia was attending a programme organised in connection with the inauguration of a Railway Over Bridge (ROB), where Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu was expected to participate. 

Security personnel and BJP leaders immediately came to his assistance and shifted him to a nearby hospital. Doctors are currently monitoring his condition and conducting further examinations.

According to preliminary information, Kalia had been suffering from fever since Tuesday. Despite feeling unwell, he attended the event because of the Union Minister’s scheduled visit and remained at the venue along with other party leaders.

Sources said Kalia was waiting for the arrival of the minister when he began feeling uneasy. Initial medical assessments suggest that a drop in sodium levels may have caused a fall in his blood pressure, leading to the episode. He was admitted to the emergency ward, and doctors later confirmed that his condition was stable.

Manoranjan Kalia is regarded as one of the BJP's most experienced leaders in Punjab. He is a prominent face in Jalandhar politics.

Bittu appeared before the commission in Chandigarh on Wednesday, where he presented his explanation regarding the incident. After hearing his submission, commission chairman Jasbir Singh Garhi instructed the Union Minister to offer prayers and seek blessings at four locations: Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) in Amritsar, Dera Braham dDass in Phillaur, Bhagwan Valmiki Ji Dera at Ram Tirath in Amritsar and Dera Ballan.

During the proceedings, Bittu, through his legal representatives, acknowledged that the language used by him during the incident was inappropriate. He stated that he had already issued a public apology and had also removed the controversial video from his social media account.

Explaining the circumstances that led to the episode, Bittu said he was attempting to locate BJP leader Omkar Singh, who had been taken into police custody on the day of polling during the Punjab municipal elections. According to him, a senior police officially initially informed him that Omkar Singh was being held at Ballia police station. Upon reaching there, he was told that the BJP leader had been moved to Sangrur.

Bittu further claimed that when he travelled to Sangrur, police officials again redirected him, stating that Omkar Singh was in Dhuri. He alleged that upon reaching Dhuri, a Station House Officer blocked his vehicle and that he was subjected to disrespectful behaviour and remarks that deeply upset him.

The Union Minister told the commission that the tense situation and the conduct of the police personnel left him emotionally distressed. He admitted that if any objectionable words were spoken by him in the heat of the moment, he had already apologised publicly for them.

After considering the written submission and oral explanation, Jasbir Singh Garhi said the commission had accepted Bittu’s written undertaking. He added that the visits to the four religious sites would serve as a gesture of respect and reconciliation.

She said the exercise, being conducted as per the schedule issued by the Election Commission of India, would continue until July 24. During this period, 24,453 Booth Level Officers (BLOs) will visit households across Punjab to distribute, collect and verify enumeration forms from eligible voters.

The verification drive will cover more than 21.4 million registered voters in the state. Alongside the exercise, the rationalisation of polling stations will also be carried out and completed by July 24. According to the election schedule, the draft electoral rolls will be published on August 3. Citizens will be able to submit claims and objections related to voter lists from August 2 to September 2, while their disposal will take place between August 3 and September 9.

Chief Electoral Officer Anindita Mitra informed political party representatives that voter mapping for nearly 86 per cent of the state's electorate has already been completed. A list of voters who are yet to be mapped has been shared with political parties to help speed up the process. She urged all political parties to actively participate in the revision exercise and extend full cooperation to election officials to ensure that the voter verification process is completed smoothly and accurately.

The meeting also addressed concerns raised by political party representatives regarding the Special Intensive Revision process. Senior election officials and representatives of major political parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party, Congress, BJP, Bahujan Samaj Party and Shiromani Akali Dal, attended the meeting.

The accused also shot dead his aunt and his friend, who had tried to stop him, before turning the gun on himself and dying by suicide. The shocking incident has left the entire area shaken, and police have launched an investigation.

The incident reportedly took place around 11 pm on Tuesday. According to the preliminary police investigation, the accused, identified as Manjot Singh, had been involved in a long-running land dispute with his family. Late at night, the argument escalated, and Manjot allegedly lost control, picked up a gun kept at his house, and began firing.

Manjot first opened fire on his paternal aunt, Harjit Kaur. He then allegedly shot his 12-year-old cousin, Hari Amritpal Singh. Both victims died on the spot.

Friend killed while trying to intervene

Hearing the commotion, Manjot’s friend Pargat Singh, who is reported to be a soldier in the Indian Army, tried to intervene and stop him. However, the accused allegedly shot him in the chest, killing him as well.

After allegedly killing three people, Manjot went into the kitchen of his house and shot himself dead.

The incident triggered panic among the residents and shocked Batala police department. DSP City Sukhinder Singh and the Station House Officer of Sekhwan Police Station reached the scene with a large police force. A forensic team was also called in to collect evidence and examine the circumstances surrounding the killings.

Police have taken all four bodies into custody and sent them to the mortuary at Civil Hospital Batala for post-mortem examinations. 

The strike was originally scheduled for June 24, 25, and 26. The workers' union had planned a complete suspension of government bus services across the state to press for several pending demands.

However, ahead of the proposed strike, Punjab Transport Minister Harpal Singh Cheema invited a delegation of the union for a meeting on June 24. Following the invitation, the union decided to put the protest on hold and await the outcome of the talks.

Union spokesperson Harkesh Vicky Patiala said the decision was taken in view of the government's positive response and the scheduled meeting. He expressed hope that meaningful progress would be made on the issues raised by employees.

Key demands of the union

According to union leaders, their major demands include withdrawal of cases against workers. The union has sought the cancellation of criminal cases registered against several workers during last year's statewide agitation. Some employees were booked under serious charges and later sent to jail. The union is demanding the immediate withdrawal of these cases and the release of affected workers.

Service regularisation of contract employees

The union has urged the government to regularise services of drivers and conductors who have been working on contract with PRTC and Punbus for several years.

Opposition to km scheme

Workers are also demanding the cancellation of the government's km scheme, under which private buses are being operated on certain routes. The union wants the government to strengthen the public transport system by adding more buses to the state-owned fleet instead of relying on private operators.

Union leaders have warned that if the June 24 meeting fails to produce a concrete solution, they may revive their protest and announce fresh action in the coming days.

No casualties or injuries were reported however some plants and a scooty parked in the courtyard were damaged. 

The clinic is run by BJP leader Dr. Tarsem Garg, whose family recently switched allegiance from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).  It is located just opposite the recently inaugurated Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office.

Garg said, “Two employees were present at the clinic when the attack took place. They informed me over the phone that a blast had occurred and that they had extinguished the fire. After reaching the clinic and watching the CCTV footage, I found that two persons had lit a petrol bomb and hurled it at the premises. Senior police officers visited the spot, and I hope swift action will be taken.”

SP (City) Narinder Singh said, “We received information that two unidentified youths had thrown a petrol bomb at the clinic in Vishal Nagar. We inspected the spot, cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. Various teams are working on the case. We have some leads, but it would not be appropriate to disclose them at this stage.”

Under the proposed changes to the Punjab Regulation of Fee of Unaided Educational Institutions Act, private unaided schools will no longer be allowed to increase annual fees and funds by more than five per cent without approval.

Announcing the decision after the Cabinet meeting, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the ordinance would be sent to the Governor for final approval. He added that strict action would be taken against schools found violating the new rules. According to the government, schools that imposed unjustified fee hikes during the past three years may be directed to return the additional amount collected from families.

Also Read | Punjab man arrested in Chhattisgarh over links with Pakistan's ISI operatives

Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said schools seeking a fee increase beyond the five per cent limit will have to justify their demand before a committee constituted by the state government. The institutions will be required to submit financial records and supporting documents, while a detailed audit may also be conducted before any decision is taken.

The minister further stated that authorities have already begun securing records of schools suspected of charging unreasonable fees to ensure transparency in the process.

The issue gained particular attention after the tragic death of a 17-year-old student in Amritsar, whose family had reportedly faced pressure over school fees. The incident sparked widespread debate on private school fee practices and prompted calls for stronger regulation.

Apart from education reforms, the Punjab Cabinet also approved a special one-time settlement scheme aimed at helping industrial units that were unable to claim benefits under earlier industrial policies introduced between 1978 and 2003.

Also Read | Amritsar tragedy: 13-year-old Sikh pilgrim dies after tree falls near Amritsar railway station during Golden Temple visit

According to the government, the scheme will help eligible industries receive pending incentives and benefits, while also encouraging fresh investment and industrial revival in the state.

The group was waiting outside the main entrance of Amritsar railway station for the free bus service operated by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to take them to Sri Harmandir Sahib.

According to initial reports, a large and decades-old tree suddenly collapsed near the waiting area. Rajpreet Singh was struck by the falling tree and suffered fatal injuries. He died on the spot. 

Also Read  ਸਰਕਾਰੀ ਤੰਤਰ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਸਿੱਖ ਚਿੰਤਕਾਂ ਤੇ ਨੌਜਵਾਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਆਵਾਜ਼ ਦਬਾਉਣ ਦੀਆਂ ਕੋਝੀਆਂ ਹਰਕਤਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਜ਼ ਆਵੇ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਸਰਕਾਰ: ਸਿੰਘ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਬਾਬਾ ਟੇਕ ਸਿੰਘ

The incident caused panic among the devotees and bystanders. Local residents immediately rushed to help and informed the authorities.

Police officials said the body has been sent for a post-mortem examination. After the legal formalities are completed, the body will be handed over to the family.

Soon after receiving information about the incident, senior SGPC officials, including representatives from Sri Harmandir Sahib management, reached the spot and expressed their condolences to the grieving family. They also assured the family of all possible assistance.

Family members described Rajpreet Singh as a deeply religious child. He regularly recited Gurbani, visited Gurdwara Sahib and followed Sikh principles with dedication.

Also Read |  Punjab caps private school fee hikes at 5%, parents to get refund of excess fees collected over last 3 years

His father said the family comes from a modest financial background and had travelled to Amritsar with devotion and faith. The sudden loss of their young son has left the family devastated.

According to local residents, the canal developed a breach of more than 40 feet during the night, allowing large volumes of water to flow into nearby villages, houses and agricultural fields. The flooding reportedly spread across the Sri Hargobindpur-Gurdaspur road before entering surrounding residential areas.

Migrant workers staying at a canal rest house said they were awakened around 3 am when water suddenly entered their rooms. It was only then that they realised the canal had burst and water was rapidly spreading through the area.

The incident has caused extensive damage to household belongings and standing crops. Residents, including Tarsem Singh, Surjit Singh and other affected families, said stored wheat, household items and other valuables were submerged in floodwater. They added that the full extent of the losses is yet to be assessed.

Farmers in the area said their recently transplanted paddy crop is now under water. Many fear the crop may not survive, resulting in significant financial losses. They also expressed concern that they do not have enough nursery plants available for replanting if the crop is completely destroyed.

Officials from the irrigation department present at the site did not immediately comment on the cause of the breach. Meanwhile, efforts to seal the damaged section of the canal are underway. Heavy earthmoving machines have been deployed, but repair work is proving difficult due to the continued flow of water.

The incident has drawn attention to the state government's claims regarding canal strengthening and irrigation improvements. Residents and farmers have demanded an immediate survey of the damage, financial compensation for affected families and long-term measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Three units of the power plant were already out of service, and the fourth unit was shut down on Sunday because of a large build-up of fly ash.

The situation has become more serious as around 1,800 contract workers at the plant are currently on strike. After all four units stopped functioning, the plant management requested additional workers to help remove the accumulated fly ash and restart operations.

According to sources, the thermal plant has nearly 500 permanent employees, but about half of them are involved in office and administrative work rather than technical operations.

The shutdown of the entire plant has raised concerns about maintaining adequate power generation at a time when electricity demand is high due to agricultural activities and extreme temperatures.

Before the group's departure, an Ardas (prayer) was performed in accordance with Sikh religious traditions, and the pilgrims were given blessings and best wishes for their journey. There was great enthusiasm among the devotees and their family members.

Pilgrims to Return on June 30

According to the SGPC, visa applications for 302 pilgrims were submitted this year, out of which 290 were granted visas to visit Pakistan. All the devotees who received visas left as part of the pilgrimage group.

During their visit, the pilgrims will pay respects at various historic and religiously significant Sikh gurdwaras in Pakistan. The group is scheduled to return to India on June 30.

The conversation took place on January 15, 2026, when Bhagwant Mann appeared before the Akal Takht in connection with various complaints and matters raised against him. During that appearance, he also submitted a set of documents and complaints to Akal Takht.

According to the video and audio clips released, the Chief Minister firmly rejected the allegations linked to the controversial video and described it as completely fake. CM Mann stated that he was in favour of a thorough investigation and expressed willingness to cooperate with any forensic examination of the footage.

He also pointed out that in the era of artificial intelligence, manipulated videos can be created easily and claimed that several public figures have been targeted through similar technology-generated content.

During the discussion, acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj asked the Chief Minister to suggest two government forensic laboratories where the video could be independently examined. CM Mann agreed to such an investigation.

The Jathedar emphasised that the issue was linked to the respect of Sikh religious institutions and should be handled carefully. He said if the video was found to be fake, no individual's reputation should be harmed. However, if the footage was proven genuine, the matter would be dealt with according to Panthic traditions and decisions.

The Akal Takht leadership also indicated that it would seek independent verification from separate forensic laboratories while expecting the government to conduct its own examination through official channels.

Officials said the released recording has also been shared with the executive committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Committee members have reportedly reviewed the material as part of the ongoing examination of the matter.

The decision was taken during a state committee meeting held in Ludhiana on June 19. Representatives from 27 depots across Punjab attended the meeting. State president Resham Singh Gill and union founder Kamal Kumar said more than four years have passed since the current government came to power, but the services of contract workers have still not been regularised.

The union leaders claimed that instead of strengthening the state-run transport system, the government has promoted privatisation through the km scheme. They alleged that private operators are being given preference while government-owned buses are not being added to the fleet.

The leaders also expressed concern over some union members who are reportedly facing legal action and are lodged in jail. They accused the government of ignoring workers' demands and attempting to suppress employees instead of fulfilling its commitments.

The union said it had originally planned to begin the strike on June 22. However, the protest was postponed after the government announced free transport facilities for candidates appearing in a major examination, prompting the union to avoid causing inconvenience to students.

The organisation has now decided to launch a public awareness campaign across Punjab's transport depots and proceed with the three-day strike from June 24 to 26. Union leaders also announced that workers will stage a protest outside the residence of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann during the agitation.

The recruitment drive was announced on June 5, 2026, to fill five PCS Executive Branch posts through Register-C quota.

These posts are reserved for eligible Group A and Group B officers already serving in different departments of the Punjab Government. The petitioners in the case are serving as Junior Engineers (Electrical) in the Punjab Water Resources Department.

The recruitment advertisement fixed November 1, 2025, as the cut-off date for determining eligibility. The petitioners argued that they completed the required eight years of regular government service shortly after that date and became fully eligible well before the advertisement was issued on June 5, 2026.

However, because of the cut-off date, they were excluded from the recruitment process despite meeting the eligibility conditions by the time the advertisement was published.

According to the petitioners, using a cut-off date that is seven months older than the advertisement date is unfair and has prevented several eligible candidates from applying. They also argued that the decision violates the principles of equality and equal opportunity guaranteed under Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution.

The petitioners further alleged that the cut-off date may have been fixed in a way that benefits certain candidates while excluding others.

However, the Punjab Government defended the recruitment process, stating that the cut-off date was fixed according to the provisions of the Punjab Civil Services rules. The government maintained that the eligibility criteria were determined as per existing regulations.

After hearing both sides, Justice Harpreet Singh Brar issued a notice to the Punjab Government seeking its response.

The court also stayed the June 5 recruitment advertisement until the next hearing.

The matter will now be taken up again on August 24, when the government is expected to submit its reply.

Sharing details, SGPC Dharam Prachar Committee secretary Gurinder Singh Mathrewal said passports of 302 devotees were submitted for visa processing to enable participation in the anniversary events at Gurdwara Sri Dera Sahib in Lahore and visits to other historic Sikh shrines in Pakistan.

Out of the 302 applicants, 290 pilgrims received visas, while 12 applicants were not granted visas by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.

Mathrewal informed that the pilgrimage group would visit various Sikh religious sites across Pakistan before attending the main commemorative ceremony of Maharaja Ranjit Singh on June 29. The devotees are scheduled to return to India on June 30 after completing the pilgrimage.

He further advised pilgrims whose visas have been approved to collect their passports from the SGPC office on June 20 and 21.

The accused, identified as Gurvinder Singh of Ambala and Manjit Singh of Patiala, were taken into custody immediately after arriving at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. They were later brought to Punjab for further interrogation as part of an ongoing investigation into a larger terror conspiracy targeting critical infrastructure in the state.

According to investigators, both men were associated with a Malaysia-based KZF-backed module that was allegedly involved in planning attacks on strategic railway installations, including the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) network in Punjab.

The arrests are linked to an earlier Punjab Police operation that uncovered a terror module allegedly responsible for an IED blast near the railway freight corridor in Sirhind, Fatehgarh Sahib district, on January 23, 2026. The same network is also suspected of being behind an attempted explosion near Shambhu in Patiala district on April 27, 2026.

During the initial crackdown, the police arrested four suspects and recovered a large cache of arms and explosives. The seizure included RPG launchers, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), RDX, hand grenades and sophisticated pistols, highlighting the scale of the alleged plot.

Further investigation revealed the involvement of handlers and financial facilitators operating from abroad. The police believe the two deported suspects played a crucial role in channeling funds to KZF operatives through foreign bank accounts. Investigators allege that these funds were used to support terror-related activities, recruit associates and facilitate planned attacks aimed at disturbing law and order in Punjab.

The accused were produced before a court in Patiala, which remanded them to police custody for detailed questioning. Officials are now examining their international connections, financial transactions and communication records to identify other individuals linked to the network.

The Punjab Police said efforts are underway to expose the full extent of the conspiracy and dismantle financial channels that allegedly support extremist activities. 

According to information received, Baba Mukhtar Singh, along with his associates, was engaged in the demolition of an old house in village Dag-Toot when the roof suddenly caved in, critically injuring him. He succumbed to his injuries shortly after the accident.

Gurdwara Damdama Sahib Bhindi Aulakh holds deep historical significance, being associated with the Sixth Sikh Guru, Sahib Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji. Baba Mukhtar Singh had selflessly dedicated his life to serving the Sangat (congregation) at this revered shrine for several decades. He was widely respected in the area for his commitment to Gurmat values, simple living and devoted service (sewa-simran).

The sudden demise of Baba Mukhtar Singh has plunged the entire region into deep mourning. Various religious, social, and political personalities have expressed profound grief and extended their condolences to the bereaved family and the Sikh congregation.