Chandigarh, May 3, 2025 (Bharat Khabarnama Bureau): With the Haryana Government finally notifying the rules for co-opting nine additional members to the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC), intense lobbying has begun to secure top posts, including the committee president and other key office-bearers. However, the delay in forming the full committee- over three months after elections – had once again triggered concerns about political interference in Sikh religious affairs.
The Gurdwara Election Commission, chaired by Justice (Retd.) H.S. Bhalla, is expected to hold a crucial meeting shortly to formalise the co-option process. Once the nine co-opted members are selected, an oath-taking ceremony would follow, culminating in the election of the committee’s president and office-bearers.
The HSGMC elections, held on January 19, produced a fractured mandate: 22 independents, 9 from Panthak Dal led by Jagdish Singh Jhinda, 6 from the SAD-aligned Haryana Sikh Panthak Dal and 3 from the Sikh Samaj Sanstha led by Didar Singh Nalvi. Post-poll dynamics saw 19 independents align under the Akal Panthak Morcha banner, forming a bloc with six Sikh Panthak Dal members for a majority of 25. However, in recent weeks, this bloc has weakened to 11 members from the Morcha, although the alliance with the Panthak Dal remains intact, giving them 18 members.
Reacting to the development, Didar Singh Nalvi said, “Since two of my members have parted ways and I’ve extended support to the joint alliance of the Akal Panthak Morcha and Sikh Panthak Dal, I will go with the decision of the joint group.” He welcomed the co-option rules, hoping they would lead to the constitution of the full committee without further delay.
Jhinda, a former HSGMC president, also welcomed the notification but admitted the prolonged silence had left the Sikhs’ questioning. “When the Sikh Sangat asked us why the committee hadn’t been formed, we had no answer. Now that the rules are out, we’re in touch with the members and will decide our course of action after the oath-taking,” he said.
Prakash Singh Sahuwal, an independent member from Nathusari Chopta and a prominent face in the Akal Panthak Morcha, claimed they still enjoyed the support of 18 members and were in talks with more. Baldev Singh Kaimpur, president of the Haryana Sikh Panthak Dal, reaffirmed their alliance with the Akal Panthak Morcha.
However, several Sikh leaders and organizations, including Akal Takhat Sahib Jathedar and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), have previously raised alarms over what they allege is deliberate meddling by the BJP-led Haryana government in Sikh religious institutions. They argue that the delay in forming the committee, despite a clear electoral mandate, reflects a pattern of state interference that compromises the community’s religious autonomy.
As the Gurdwara Commission prepares to convene a meeting of general house, the onus lies on the authorities to ensure transparency and fairness in the co-option and formation processes. Sikh leadership across factions has called for the committee to be constituted without political bias, respecting the democratic will of the Sikh sangat.
Will the upcoming meeting put to rest long-standing apprehensions or deepen the trust deficit between Sikh institutions and the state? All eyes remain on the Gurdwara Commission’s next move and state machinery.
