AMRITSAR: Former Member of Parliament, Kirpal Singh was elected president of the Chief Khalsa Diwan, a prestigious nonpolitical institution of the Sikhs, for the fifth consecutive term of three years in the first ever secret ballot held in the 92yearold history of the Diwan here on Sept.25.
Kirpal Singh managed a razor thin margin of nine votes against the sitting secretary, Dilbir Singh, at the culmination of an infamous electioneering, which saw both sides locked in a mudslinging contest, unprecedented in the annals of the institution.
The diwan runs several schools and propagates the Sikh tenets. Till now all the office-bearers of the diwan were elected unanimously. Announcing the result the returning officer, Ranbir Singh said Kirpal Singh secured 125 votes out of the 241 polled while his industrialist rival, got 116, The diwan which was established in 1902 by Bhai Vir Singh has a house of 453 members.
The patron of the Diwan, Sunjit Singh Majithia, who made strenuous efforts till the end to persuade the house for unanimous choice of president, walked out of the meeting on Sunday along with six other members when all his efforts failed.
Bhag Singh Ankhi, who is secretary of the Khalsa College, Amritsar, was elected secretary of the diwan defeating his rival, Beant Singh, a local Congress leader, by nine votes.
Ankhi secured 128 votes against 114 of Beant Singh while four votes were declared invalid.
Earlier, tension mounted outside the main building of the diwan when posters leveling allegations against Dilbir Singh were tom by his supporters. However, the district administration had made elaborate security arrangements and a possible clash was averted.
Talking to media persons after his victory, Kirpal Singh sought the rival faction’s cooperation in the better interests of the diwan. He said that he will probe into the allegations which came to light during the election.
Dilbir Singh, while accepting his defeat termed the election as fair.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 30, 1994
