Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Elections of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee will be conducted soon -CM Saini, House passes Sikh Gurdwara Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024
Process of making votes of people belonging to the Sikh community for elections continues
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, November 18, 2024: Haryana Chief Minister, Sh Nayab Singh Saini while giving assurance in the Haryana Legislative Assembly that elections for the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee will be conducted soon. Currently, the process of voter registration is underway in preparation for these elections.
The Chief Minister made this statement while addressing the House during the discussion on the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024.
During the discussion on the bill, Sh Nayab Singh Saini said that under the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Act, there is a provision for the formation of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission. Earlier, there was a provision in the commission that the Chairman of the commission would be the District Judge.
If the District Judge is not appointed as the Chairman, then one of the three members will be the Chairman in the order of their seniority. Today, in this bill, we have made a provision that the Chairman of the Commission can be a High Court judge or a District Judge and the upper age limit of 65 years has also been removed.
He clarified that the government has not imposed any restrictions on the elections for the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. Instead, a separate committee has been formed to oversee the election process.
The Chief Minister also shared that members of the Sikh community had recently met him, and he assured them that voter registration for the Sikh community is progressing. This process is still going on. These elections will be conducted shortly.
*The Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Amendment Bill, 2024*
The Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Amendment Bill, 2024 was passed to amend the Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Act, 2014.
The Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Act, 2014 was enacted by the State Government with the objective of providing for autonomous management and effective supervision of Sikh Gurdwaras and Gurdwara Property in the State of Haryana. Section 46 of the said Act provides for constitution of Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission consisting of three members and the Chairman shall be a District Judge, if so appointed and if a District Judge is not appointed than one of the three members shall be the Chairman in the order of their seniority. The term of the Chairman or the Member shall be five years or the age of 65 years whichever is earlier. The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission is a quasi-judicial authority, whose decisions are final. The dispute relating to the Gurdwara property, its funds and any other disputes between the Gurdwara Committee, Executive Board or any other institutions, are to be adjudicated upon by the Commission. Therefore, it has been deemed appropriate that a Judge of High Court should also be considered for appointment as a member and Chairman of the Commission. Further, in order to ensure effective functioning of the Commission, the upper cap of 65 years of age, as provided in clause (iv) of sub-section (1) of Section-46, should be removed.
A legislation i.e. "The Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Amendment Bill, 2024' to provide for appointment of a Judge of High Court as Members and Chairman of Commission and to remove the upper cap of 65 years of age and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, is required.