Shiromani Akali Dal’s Harjinder Singh Dhami was re-elected as the president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for the fourth consecutive term on Monday. Dhami, a long-standing loyalist of SAD and the Badal family, triumphed with 107 votes, while his primary contender, former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur — a SAD rebel — managed only 33 votes.
The Badal family’s influence over the SGPC dates back to the 1990s, when the late former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal first assumed the role of its president in 1996. Following his leadership, the Badals significantly strengthened their control over SGPC, with several appointments of their close associates within the committee.
However, SAD saw a decline in its political influence in Punjab following the 2017 state assembly elections. Recently, internal discord has surfaced within SAD, with some leaders calling for the removal of party president Sukhbir Singh Badal. The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, also declared Sukhbir a ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct). This internal strife led the party to decide against contesting four recent by-elections.
It was widely speculated that these rifts within SAD might impact the SGPC election this time. However, the results told a different story, with SAD dissenter Bibi Jagir Kaur receiving even fewer votes than in 2022. This outcome has provided SAD another opportunity to reassert its influence over SGPC, despite the factionalism within its ranks.
The election was conducted at the Teja Singh Samundri Hall within Amritsar's Golden Temple complex, drawing substantial attention due to recent political friction within the SAD. The voting process, in which 142 out of 148 eligible SGPC members participated, concluded with Dhami securing his position. His re-election was a clear indication of his sustained influence and his ability to unite members despite SAD’s internal discord and the external pressures from other political factions. Dhami’s leadership has been pivotal since 2021, and his tenure has largely been devoid of major controversies — a quality that likely played a role in his re-election.
In his victory speech, Dhami criticized the perceived encroachments by external entities such as the BJP, RSS, and AAP into Sikh affairs. He emphasized the need for safeguarding Sikh institutions and values against what he termed as “ideological infiltrations”. Dhami underscored his concern about the weakening Sikh autonomy due to political interference, a sentiment that resonated with many SGPC members wary of non-Sikh influences within religious matters.
In contrast, Bibi Jagir Kaur, who was previously a respected leader within SGPC and SAD, found herself unable to rally enough support. Her platform focused on restoring the independent powers of Sikh religious leaders and reducing external political influence over SGPC decisions. However, her appeal garnered limited traction, receiving fewer votes compared to her previous election attempts.
Following Dhami’s re-election, the SGPC announced the appointments of Raghujit Singh Virk as senior vice-president, Baldev Singh Kalyan as junior vice-president, and Sher Singh as general secretary, along with an 11-member executive body. These positions were filled without opposition, further underscoring Dhami’s command over the committee’s decision-making processes.
The SGPC, established under the Gurdwara Act of 1925, is responsible for the administration of significant gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh. While the committee conducts annual elections, the Chief Gurdwara Election Commission has announced an upcoming general election for the SGPC, expected to be held next year, which will elect members for a full five-year term. This broader electoral process could bring substantial changes, especially if emerging political influences manage to sway SGPC members or if internal rifts within SAD persist.
As Dhami embarks on his fourth term, his leadership faces both opportunities and challenges. While the SAD’s internal dynamics continue to shift, Dhami’s re-election suggests that the Badal family’s influence remains steadfast within the SGPC.
The upcoming general elections will undoubtedly serve as a litmus test for Dhami and SAD’s standing within Punjab’s Sikh community. The evolving political landscape around the SGPC raises questions about how the body will navigate the intersection of religious autonomy and political affiliations — a matter that remains of paramount concern to Sikhs across the state and beyond.
