After day caretakers of Takht Sri Hazur Sahib issued a gurmata (collective religious edict) rejecting the Maharashtra Government’s proposal to repeal the Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Act, 1956, and replace it with a new law, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today strongly condemned the Maharashtra Government decision to interfere in the autonomous functioning of Takht Sri Hazur Sahib by repealing The Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Act, 1956, and replacing it with a new law.
In a post on X, Sukhbir Singh Badal said the sacred Takht, sanctified by Guru Gobind Singh, belonged to the Sikh panth, and no government had any right to impose control over it.
“We urge the Maharashtra Govt & CM Sh. Devendra Fadnavis to immediately withdraw this proposal and not take any step that conflicts with the sentiments of the Sikh Sangat," reads the message.
The “gurmata" decision followed a high-level congregation involving the Panj Pyare (the Guru’s five beloved ones), senior clergy and representatives of various Sikh religious bodies. After deliberations, a unanimous resolution was adopted, firmly calling for the retention of the original 1956 Act.
The gurmata, considered a binding, collective decision taken in the name of the Guru, was formally read out by Singh Sahib Giani Ram Singh in the presence of Takht Jathedar Giani Kulwant Singh.
The Maharashtra Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, recently approved a proposal to repeal the seven-decade-old Act and introduce a new law titled “Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Gurdwara Act.”
The proposed legislation is slated to be tabled in the ongoing Vidhan Sabha session. Once passed, it will pave the way for a new administrative framework governing the gurdwara board, including revised rules for elections, management and by-laws.
The push for a fresh law is based on recommendations by a state-appointed committee, which has suggested structural changes in governance.
The move has triggered strong reactions across Sikh institutions, with major panthic bodies — including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and the Akal Takht — voicing firm opposition against the government’s repeated attempts to amend the existing law to penetrate and establish its dominance.
