Amritsar: The Punjab Government’s Department of Home Affairs has officially notified the Sri Akal Takht Sahib Secretariat regarding the constitution of a seven-member committee to address concerns surrounding the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026. The communication arrived on September 30, the final day of a two-month extension granted by the highest temporal seat of Sikhism on July 31 to implement vital amendments aligned with community sentiments.
In its official communication, the state administration conveyed that its designated committee is thoroughly evaluating the guidance and objections raised by Sri Akal Takht Sahib. The state panel intends to hold detailed consultations and coordinate closely with the five-member expert committee formed by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, aiming to incorporate all recommendations before finalizing the legislative framework. Although the state committee was officially notified on September 16, formal intimation was delivered to the Sikh secretariat on the day the allotted period lapsed.
Bagicha Singh, in-charge of the Sri Akal Takht Sahib Secretariat, confirmed that the official correspondence was presented before Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj. The Jathedar expressed profound regret over the state government’s lack of seriousness and irresponsible handling of the sensitive matter, noting that while two months were provided to reach a definitive resolution, the administration merely dispatched information about committee formation at the very end of the deadline without demonstrating tangible progress.
The secretariat official noted that a similar pattern occurred earlier, when an initial one-month window granted on June 29 concluded with the state submitting a late response through the Amritsar Deputy Commissioner on July 29, which was subsequently rejected by the Jathedar. Emphasizing that delayed notifications suggest an attempt to drag out the issue rather than resolve it, the secretariat reiterated that the state government must issue a formal notification suspending the contentious legislation until mutual consensus is achieved.
