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SGPC elections today | Harjinder Dhami is SAD prez pick, breakaway group also to contest
The party is most likely to field Mitthu Singh Kahneke for the race though no official announcement was made. According to a statement issued from the party office, all party-affiliated members of the SGPC will meet before the General House meeting to decide on their candidate and strategy for the polls.
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has once again reposed faith in Harjinder Singh Dhami, announcing his candidature for the top post of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the elections for which will be held on Monday. This will be his fifth consecutive contest for the post, with wins in all previous elections.
Meanwhile, the party’s breakaway faction, led by Giani Harpreet Singh, has also announced to contest the elections. The party is most likely to field Mitthu Singh Kahneke for the race though no official announcement was made. According to a statement issued from the party office, all party-affiliated members of the SGPC will meet before the General House meeting to decide on their candidate and strategy for the polls.
Elections for the posts of SGPC president, senior vice-president, junior vice-president, general secretary, and 11 executive committee members will be held at the gurdwara panel’s headquarters, Teja Singh Samundri Hall.
Addressing SAD-affiliated SGPC members on poll eve, Sukhbir said, “After considering suggestions of the SGPC members, I have decided to name Dhami Sahib as our candidate.”
Following the meeting, Dhami expressed his gratitude to the Akal Purakh, SAD president, the party leadership, and all SGPC members, for naming him again.
Dhami, who has been serving as president since 2021, said that the renewed trust placed in him by the party leadership is a matter of pride but it also increases his sense of responsibility.
In 2024 polls, Dhami defeated his rival and three-time SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur, who was fielded by the then rebel faction of the SAD, by 74 votes. Out of the total 142 votes polled, SAD candidate Dhami had got 107 while Kaur got 33. Two votes had been declared invalid.
Collect sentiment to fight, says breakaway faction
After detailed discussions with all its members, the SAD’s breakaway faction, led by president Giani Harpreet Singh, also decided to contest the elections. According to a statement issued from the party office, it was a collective sentiment that they must raise their voice against any actions that undermine the principles, Maryada (discipline), and supreme authority of Akal Takht.
Accompanied by former SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal and other senior party leaders including former Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Giani Harpreet Singh addressed a press conference after meeting with the working committee.
Responding to a query regarding his camp lacking a majority in the House, Giani Harpreet Singh said, “At least 30-35 members of the SGPC are with us permanently. A sizable number of the members associated to Sukhbir Badal faction are also in our contact.”
He added, “Actually, general elections of the SGPC have not been held for a period of 14 years. The present house of the SGPC stands on the will of the Centre. So, the SGPC General Elections must be conducted by the Centre at the earliest.”
Of 191-members in the House, 170 are elected by Sikh voters in the general elections, 15 are co-opted, five are sitting (jathedars) heads of Sikh temporal seats and one is head granthi of Golden Temple. The jathedars and head granthis don’t have the right to vote.
There are a total of 110 constituencies in Punjab, out of which 47 segments are represented by two members each, while 30 constituencies are reserved for women candidates. Even as a separate Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) has also been formed, SGPC members elected from Haryana state are also part of the House and participate in the elections every year.
As the general elections of the SGPC have not been conducted for the last 14 years, nearly 31 members have expired and two have resigned.
