Dec 22, 2011-CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbhandhak Committee will be challenging the verdict delivered by Punjab and Haryana high court granting voting rights to Sehajdhari Sikhs, in the Supreme Court.
A day after the Punjab and Haryana high court gave a verdict the SGPC and the SAD went into a huddle to discuss the issue. The matter will also come up for in depth discussion in core committee meeting of SAD scheduled for Thursday evening.
"The SGPC will not take it lying down," said Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, senior SAD leader.
The newly elected SGPC is also likely to appeal to the Sikh Gurdwara Commission not to issue orders of re-election but to challenge the matter in the Supreme Court. On the flip side, on Wednesday, a delegation of Sehajdhari Sikhs met Sikh Gurdwara Commission chief H S Brar, and handed him over a copy of the HC verdict quashing the notification denying voting rights to them.
Sehajdhari Sikh Federation president P S Rannu (pic. at right) said, "The SGPC house must not only be dissolved but new electoral list be drawn including Sehajdhari Sikhs as voters." As per 2011 census there are over 1.75 crore Sikhs in Punjab out of which nearly 55 lakh are listed as voters in the SGPC elections. While about 50 lakh are children and women, there are well over 60 lakh Sehajdhari Sikhs, who could not vote for the highest Sikh body.
SAD general secretary P Chandumajra said, "The logic of quashing the notification of 2003 denying rights to Sehajdhari Sikhs to vote is flawed. The notification was an executive order, just like the one in 1959 that granted voting rights."
Brar on Wednesday said, "We are studying the copies of the HC verdict and will refer the matter to the home ministry."