Chandigarh, July 7, 2025 — The Global Sikh Council (GSC) has denounced the recent religious edict issued by Takht Sri Harmandir Sahib, Patna Sahib, against Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, asserting that no regional Takht has the authority to pass Panth-wide judgments.
In a firm statement issued Monday, GSC President Dr. Kanwaljit Kaur stated, “No regional Takht, including Patna Sahib, has the jurisdiction to issue Panth-wide edicts. This authority belongs solely to Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the highest temporal seat of the Sikh community.”
The statement comes in the wake of a controversial declaration by five granthis of Patna Sahib branding Sukhbir Singh Badal as Tankhaiya (guilty of religious misconduct), prompting outrage across Sikh institutions. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) also criticized the move, calling it a violation of Sikh protocol and an encroachment on Akal Takht’s supremacy.
“Patna Sahib’s edict is not only unlawful but dangerous in its implication,” Dr. Kaur said. “It disregards centuries of Panthic tradition and challenges the established hierarchy within the Sikh faith.”
Dr. Kaur noted that Takht Sri Patna Sahib, while sacred due to its association with the birth of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, remains a regional Takht. “Sukhbir Singh Badal is not a resident of Patna or Bihar. The issues raised are national in scale and hence fall beyond Patna Sahib’s jurisdiction,” she added.
The GSC emphasized that the Akal Takht alone, rooted in Miri-Piri tradition established by Guru Hargobind Sahib, holds the exclusive authority to deliberate and deliver Hukamnamas that apply to the entire Sikh community. “All other Takhats were institutionalized much later for regional religious matters. Their mandates do not include Panth-wide decisions,” Dr. Kaur explained.
The Council also cited the 2003 Gurmatta passed unanimously by the Five Takhts, reaffirming that only Akal Takht Sahib can issue Hukamnamas on Panthic matters. This position was later echoed by Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh in 2015.
“It is deeply concerning that Patna Sahib granthis have issued such a declaration unilaterally,” Dr. Kaur said. “This sets a dangerous precedent, pitting one Takht against another and fracturing Sikh unity.”
The GSC called upon the Patna Sahib committee to withdraw its edict, introspect on its actions, and submit to the collective religious discipline of the Panth. “We urge all Sikh bodies and the global sangat to stand firm behind the Akal Takht’s central role. Weakening its authority is anti-Gurmat, anti-Panthic, and a betrayal of Guru Hargobind Singh Ji’s vision,” Dr. Kaur warned.
The Council also asked the SGPC to initiate action against individuals responsible for undermining Sikh religious structure and to ensure such violations are not repeated.
Read more: Patna Sahib’s Decision Undermines Akal Takht” says SGPC Chief
