Sri Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj has rejected the amendment draft sent by the Punjab government for the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026 and said that most of the objections raised earlier by Sri Akal Takht Sahib have not been addressed and around 90 per cent of the concerns remain unchanged in the new draft.
Speaking to the media, Jathedar Gargaj said the amendment draft does not reflect the consensus that was reached during a meeting held at Sri Akal Takht Sahib on June 29 and said that at the meeting, Sikh MLAs and Punjab Cabinet Ministers had agreed, after Ardas and five Jaikaras, that all objections raised by Sri Akal Takht Sahib, including the use of the word "custodian", would be removed from the proposed law.
However, according to the Jathedar, the draft sent by the Punjab government has not removed those objections and said that instead of making the required changes, the government has tried to continue with the same arrangement by providing a detailed explanation in the draft.
Jathedar Gargaj said that matters related to the preservation of the form of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, religious practices and who keeps the holy form come under the authority of the Panth and Sri Akal Takht Sahib. He said these religious matters should not come under government control.
He stated that the role of the government should be limited to ensuring strict legal action against those involved in cases of sacrilege. He said the law should clearly include provisions for strict punishment against the accused and those who conspire to commit sacrilege.
The Jathedar also demanded that fast-track courts should be set up to hear sacrilege-related cases so that such matters can be decided quickly and said these suggestions should be clearly included in the proposed law.
To take the matter forward, Sri Akal Takht Sahib has formed a five-member expert committee. According to the Jathedar, the committee includes former judges, senior lawyers and Sikh scholars.
He said the committee will hold discussions with the committee that is to be formed by the Punjab government and after these discussions, the Akal Takht committee will prepare a report and submit it to Sri Akal Takht Sahib for further consideration.
Jathedar Gargaj appealed to the Punjab government to resolve the issue through dialogue and mutual understanding and said the amendment should move forward only after a complete consensus is reached. He also appealed to Sikh MLAs and Cabinet Ministers not to discuss or give consent to the amendment in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha until a complete agreement is reached with Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
The Jathedar further said that Sikh MLAs should not discuss the amendment in the Assembly even if they are asked to do so by the Chief Minister, until consensus is achieved.
He said that the agreement reached with the Panth during the June 29 meeting should be honoured. According to him, going back on that consensus will not be accepted.
Referring to the word "custodian" in the proposed law, Jathedar Gargaj said Sri Akal Takht Sahib had already objected to its inclusion and said the government had earlier agreed to remove it, but the latest draft has attempted to retain the same arrangement through a different explanation.