SGPC Calls for Transparent Voter Registration

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) delegation met with chief commissioner for gurdwara elections, Justice (retired) S S Saron, to address concerns about voter registration for the SGPC general elections. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami highlighted issues of non-compliance with voter verification rules and demanded stricter enforcement to ensure only eligible Sikhs are registered.

A delegation from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) met with Justice (retired) S S Saron, the chief commissioner for gurdwara elections, on Tuesday. The group called for transparent registration of eligible Sikh voters for the upcoming SGPC general elections.

Leading the delegation, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami submitted a letter to Saron. Dhami emphasized the need for stringent adherence to voter verification rules, citing complaints that government officials are allegedly ignoring these regulations and registering votes without proper verification.

Dhami pointed out specific issues, stating, "Government employees are registering votes while ignoring the rules by picking up names from the voter lists of Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha, which may violate the condition of being a 'Sabat Soorat' (with unshorn hair) Sikh." He called for immediate action to prevent the registration of non-Sikh and 'Patit' (not maintaining the required Sikh identity) voters.

Dhami stressed that it is the primary duty of the gurdwara elections chief commissioner to ensure correct voter registration as per the rules, urging the commission to heed the community's concerns.

The letter also called for orders to ensure proper access to the registration process for Sikh and 'Sabat Soorat' voters, including the verification of each voter's identity and the attachment of the latest photos with the registration forms.

(With inputs from agencies.)