The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has suffered a significant legal setback after reportedly losing its case against the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) over the control of the prestigious Miri Piri Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (MPIMSR) in Shahbad, Kurukshetra district.
Confirming the development, the HSGMC president Jagdish Singh Jhinda, termed it as a “historic move” as according to him, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered that the administrative charge of the institute be transferred to the HSGMC.
“The HSGMC has been authorised to look after the MPIMSR solely. The copy of the order is awaited. We will be taking legal recourse to claim management of the MPIMSR. It is the victory of each Sikh from Haryana, who supported and fought for his/her rights. I hope the SGPC would cooperate in this too,” he said.
The petition was filed by the MPIMSR Charitable Trust, headed by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami in 2024, alleging that the members of Haryana Sikh Management Committee were trying to forcibly take over its property.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court rejected the petition while clearing airs over the long-standing dispute between the two Sikh bodies over the ownership and management of the institution.
Reacting cautiously, the SGPC’s Senior Vice President and Chairman of the Working Group of the MPIMSR, Raghujit Singh Virk, said a decision on the next course of action will be taken after reviewing the judgment.
“We are yet to get the copy of the orders of the High Court. As and when we receive it, we will decide the next course”, he said.
HSGMC ad hoc member Baljit Singh Daduwal welcomed the High Court ruling, stating that the Trust, influenced by the Badal faction, has been dissolved.
He confirmed that HSGMC has been legally authorised to constitute a new Trust and that officials would initiate a legal process to take possession of the institute after receiving formal orders.
The MPIMSR has since long been a flashpoint between SGPC and HSGMC. Just a month ago, tensions escalated when SGPC leadership protested against Daduwal and some HSGMC members over an alleged attempt to take control of the institute. The situation was brought under control following intervention by local authorities.
Background of the Dispute
The legal battle stems from a petition filed in 2024 by the MPIMSR headed by Dhami. The petition alleged that members of the HSGMC were attempting to forcibly take control of the institute’s property.
HSGMC, however, has consistently asserted its claim over the institute following its formation, while the SGPC contested this claim, citing internal disputes within HSGMC leadership and raising questions about its administrative capability.
Financial constraints on HSGMC
The development comes at a time when HSGMC’s financial operations are under strain. The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission recently nullified its Rs 104 crore budget for 2026–27 due to lack of quorum (33 members present out of 49), effectively freezing its funds.
Significance of the MPIMSR
The Miri Piri Institute is a key multi-specialty tertiary healthcare facility serving Kurukshetra and surrounding districts. Established in 2005 with the vision of developing a medical college, the institute is currently expanding, including construction of a 500-bed hospital.
An application for an essentiality certificate for 100 MBBS seats for the 2026–27 academic session is also under process with the Haryana Government.
The SGPC had spent nearly Rs 140 crores on the project so far and has simultaneously been sparing annual operational funds to the tune of Rs 8 crore.
The hospital has over 35 specialist doctors and provides various services, including anaesthesiology, emergency and trauma care, general surgery, nephrology, orthopaedic surgery, neurosurgery, cardiology, and plastic and reconstructive surgery.
It is providing healthcare to people coming from various districts of Haryana, especially Kurukshetra, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Karnal, and Panipat and even to nearby states like Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
