Amritsar, Jan 10: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami has raised concerns over the preliminary voter list for the SGPC general elections.
In a letter to Gurdwara Election Commissioner Justice SS Saron, Dhami highlighted several issues, including the presence of non-Sikh names and the absence of voter photographs in the lists.
According to Dhami, the lists published by the Election Commission show names that lack “Singh” and “Kaur,” raising doubts about their authenticity. “The current voter lists include non-Sikh individuals, which is against the norms,” said Dhami in the letter.
He also pointed out that voter identities, as required by the process, were missing photographs—an essential component of the registration process. This omission, Dhami claims, makes it difficult for the Sikh community to access the lists properly.
Dhami further expressed frustration with the registration process, calling it “impractical” for lodging objections. He accused the Punjab government of acting arbitrarily in this matter, an issue that the SGPC had previously raised. ”
It appears that these lists were compiled by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) from unrelated records, such as those used in Vidhan Sabha and Lok Sabha elections, instead of forms submitted by voters with photographs,” he said.
In his letter, Dhami urged the Gurdwara Election Commissioner to ensure voter lists are available online and at designated centers, providing easy access to the public.
He underlined that in line with Gurdwara Election Commission guidelines, voter forms should include photographs, confirming the individual’s Sikh identity.
“The lists must feature photographs to distinguish the genuine Sikh voters and reject non-Sikh entries,” Dhami added.
The SGPC President also called for the immediate rejection of all non-Sikh names from the voter list to safeguard the sanctity of the SGPC elections.
