Anandpur Sahib (Rupnagar), November 7 — The committee of legal experts and scholars constituted by Sri Akal Takht Sahib to examine Punjab's Jagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026 met at Sri Anandpur Sahib on Saturday and decided that the state government must completely stay the implementation of the amended law before any dialogue on it moves forward, according to a statement issued after the meeting.
Source: The Financial World
The meeting was attended by Acting Jathedar of Akal Takht 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. The panel deliberated on the October 23 letter in which the nodal officer of the Punjab government's own coordination committee had sought a meeting with the Akal Takht expert committee to discuss the legislation.
Source: Punjab Election (Hindi report)
Stay first, compliance report alongside
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 Akal Takht on June 29, 2026, and submit details of the action taken so far in accordance with those directions. The panel asserted that the Act should not be implemented until a consensus on the matter is reached with Akal Takht.
Source: The Financial World
The members pointed out that the expert committee had already, through a press statement issued on August 7, 2026 after its earlier meeting, asked the Punjab government to submit a compliance report on the June 29 directions — and that no such report has been submitted so far. They further said that despite Akal Takht's directions to Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on May 8, 2026 and to the state government's cabinet ministers and MLAs on June 29, 2026, the government has taken no concrete steps to incorporate Akal Takht's sentiments and concerns regarding the Act. The panel termed this, in its statement, evidence of a lack of sincerity on the government's part, and said the government's sincerity in resolving the issue would be demonstrated only if it imposed a complete stay on the legislation first.
Source: The Financial World
What the dispute is about
The Punjab Assembly passed the Satkar (Amendment) Bill unanimously on April 13, 2026, at a special session held at Sri Anandpur Sahib on Baisakhi, and it was notified on April 20 after the Governor's assent. The amendment prescribes stringent punishment for sacrilege of Sri Guru Granth Sahib — including, for sacrilege committed as part of a conspiracy to disturb public order or communal harmony, imprisonment from 10 years to life and fines up to Rs 25 lakh, according to reports of the law's provisions.
Source: Punjab Election (Hindi report)
Akal Takht has not objected to stringent punishment for sacrilege itself, according to earlier reporting on the panel's position, but has objected to provisions it says touch Sikh religious terminology, maryada and the status and custodianship of Sri Guru Granth Sahib — including the use of the word 'custodian' for the Saroops, a unique identification number and central register for Saroops, and provisions concerning the rights of religious institutions. Akal Takht has also suggested measures including fast-track courts for sacrilege cases, according to the Hindi report.
Source: Punjab Election (Hindi report)
The November 7 meeting follows the Punjab government panel's October 23 letter seeking a meeting with the Akal Takht committee, reported earlier by Awaaz Punjab. Read the earlier report
The government's stated position
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has previously said the core objective of the law and its strict-punishment provisions will not be diluted, while other provisions objected to can be discussed. The state government formed its own seven-member coordination committee on September 16, 2026 to hold talks with the Akal Takht panel, and Mann told that committee on September 27 that the law's spirit and its severe penalties must not be compromised. There was no immediate Punjab government response reported to Saturday's precondition by the time of publication.
Source: Punjab Election (Hindi report)
What happens next now rests with the state government: whether it stays the Act's implementation and files the June 29 compliance report the panel has demanded, or holds to its stated position that the law's core will not be weakened. Until one side moves, the dialogue the government's October 23 letter sought remains on hold.