Sri Anandpur Sahib-An important meeting of the committee of legal experts and scholars constituted by Sri Akal Takht Sahib to examine the Punjab Government’s Jagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, was held at Sri Anandpur Sahib today on Saturday.
It may be recalled that on October 23, 2026, the nodal officer of the coordination committee constituted by the Punjab Government in connection with the Amendment Act, 2026, had written to the Secretariat of Sri Akal Takht Sahib seeking a meeting with the expert committee constituted by Sri Akal Takht Sahib. Subsequently, the Secretariat forwarded the communication to the coordinator of the expert committee and asked him to take further necessary action. Following this, the expert committee convened a meeting today to discuss the matter.
The meeting was attended by Acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, Justice (Retd) Rupinder Singh Sodhi, Justice (Retd) Mohinder Mohan Singh Bedi, Senior Advocate Puran Singh Hundal, Sikh scholar Dr Kehar Singh and Prof Jagmohan Singh.
During the meeting, the committee deliberated on the letter written by the nodal officer of the Punjab Government’s coordination committee seeking discussions with the expert committee of Sri Akal Takht Sahib on the legislation.
After detailed deliberations, the expert committee decided that before taking the dialogue forward, the Punjab Government must completely stay the implementation of the Amendment Act, 2026, in compliance with the directions issued by Sri Akal Takht Sahib on June 29, 2026, and submit details of the action taken so far in accordance with those directions.
The committee members pointed out that the expert committee had earlier held a meeting and through a press statement issued on August 7, 2026, had asked the Punjab Government to submit a compliance report on the directions issued by Sri Akal Takht Sahib on June 29, 2026. However, the government had not submitted any such report so far. They asserted that the Act should not be implemented until a consensus on the matter was reached with Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
The committee members further said that despite the directions issued by Sri Akal Takht Sahib to Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on May 8, 2026, and subsequently to the Punjab Government’s Cabinet ministers and MLAs on June 29, 2026, the state government had so far taken no concrete steps to incorporate the sentiments and concerns expressed by Sri Akal Takht Sahib regarding the Amendment Act, 2026.
They termed the government's failure to act in accordance with these directions as evidence of its lack of sincerity and ulterior intentions.
The members said the government's sincerity in resolving the issue would be demonstrated only if it imposed a complete stay on the implementation of the legislation first.