CHANDIGARH: The election to the general house of the Shiromani ‘Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, the supreme elected body of the Sikhs to manage community’s shrines in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, is likely to be held by the first week of October 1996.
An indication to this effect was given by Justice Harbans Singh (Retd), Chief ‘Commissioner, Gurdwara Elections, here last week. He said the process would take about two and a half months after the publications of final electoral rolls on July 26 next, after inviting objections.
About 45 lakh voters, Sikhs and Schajdhari Sikhs, would elect 140 members in 120 constituencies. Of these 120 constituencies, 20aredouble where along with the members from the general category, a member each would be elected from the reserve category making two members from ‘each of these 20 constituencies. The general house then coopts 15 other members; the heads of the five Takhts are ex officio members of the general house.
The delimitation of the constituencies as already been carried out without increasing the strength of the general house, the delimitation has been done after about 40 years.
Of these 120 constituencies, 110 are in Punjab, The union territory of Chandigarh and Shimla in Himachal Pradesh have been treated as one constituency each and eight constituencies are in Haryana. Dabwali in Haryana is a double constituency; The Union Home Ministry has already notified the delimitation of the constituencies.
‘The last election to the general house was held in 1979, According to the Sikh Gurdwara Act. 1925, the general house has a tenure of five years but it Continues till the next general election.
‘The first executive is elected for two! Years and thereafter, the office bearers and the executive are elected every year. The Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, presides over the first meeting of the new general house.
Justice Harbans Singh said the general election has to be held within this time frame keeping in view the directive of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. SGPC president Gurcharan Singh Tohra had earlier moved the” High Court seeking directions to the government to hold this election in a time bound manner.
A significant point that is being discussed is whether the Akali Dal (Badal) can contest the SGPC elections as a political party. This is the ‘only political party recognized by the Election Commission which has applied for symbol to contest these elections. ‘
This is with reference to the Supreme Court verdict on the political parties entering the religious domain. ‘The Akali Dal (Badal) is a recognized political party but the SGPC is a religious body. According to this verdict, 4 parties cannot be political as well as religious at the same time.
There is a degree of risk involved. Though there is no clear verdict from. Any court on this issue,” said G.S._ Grewal, Punjab. He said even though the manifesto of @ political party is secular, it is liable to invite disqualification in the Context of the judgment of the apex ‘Court in case its attitude has religious ‘manifestations. This can pose a problem for the Akali Dal (Badal) in the forthcoming Assembly elections.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 15, 1996
