Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan appeared before the Akal Takht Secretariat on Monday, along with other legislators summoned by officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj. The summons were issued for their participation in passing the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, in the Vidhan Sabha on April 13, the occasion of Baisakhi.
Second instance in Sikh history
Sandhwan's appearance marks only the second instance in Sikh history where two members of the same family have been summoned by the supreme temporal authority of the Sikh faith. The first was the Badal family. In 1978, after a violent clash between Sikhs and Nirankaris in Amritsar, then Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was summoned by the Akal Takht. In 2024, his son Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Deputy Chief Minister, was declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) and given 'tankhah' (religious punishment) for sacrilege incidents and anti-Panthic moves during the SAD regime from 2007 to 2017.
Sandhwan family precedent
Sandhwan is the grandson of Giani Zail Singh's brother, though often identified as the grandson of Giani Zail Singh. In the aftermath of Operation Blue Star in June 1984, Giani Zail Singh, then President of India and commander of the armed forces, was summoned by the Akal Takht and held morally accountable for the military action at the Golden Temple. Approximately 42 years later, Sandhwan stood before the Akal Takht Jathedar, marking the second such occurrence involving the Sandhwan family.
Religious authority without constitutional power
According to Prof. Kuldip Singh (retd), Political Science, Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), the Akal Takht has supreme religious authority but is devoid of any constitutional power. He stated, 'Akal Takht Jathedar can direct excommunication, pronouncing a social or religious boycott, but could neither impose legal action, a fine, nor a jail term. Yet, it has its own norms to punish. It could declare individuals tankhaiya while assigning tankhah through pronouncing sewa such as cleaning shoes, utensils or toilets at the Golden Temple, often taken as making a public apology and on some occasions doing sewa while wearing a placard of repentance around the neck, as lately was there in case of Sukhbir and his coterie of ministers held guilty of anti-Panthic decisions. Earlier, former CM Surjit Singh Barnala too faced an identical situation.'
Recent summons of CM Bhagwant Mann
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had also been summoned by the Akal Takht Secretariat for clarification over a controversial video, and was declared 'Guru Dokhi' and 'Panth Dokhi', accused of undermining the authority of the Akal Takht. The video purportedly showed him sprinkling 'liquor' on images of Sikh Gurus and Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
Political motivation alleged
Dr. Amarjit Singh, director of Sikh Studies Chair, GNDU, viewed the summoning of Sikh MLAs at Akal Takht as a politically motivated move. He noted that CM Mann could not be punished on technical grounds, as he was neither 'sabat surat' nor 'complying with the Sikh code of conduct'.
Historical precedent with Maharaja Ranjit Singh
In the early 19th century, Akali Phoola Singh, then Jathedar of the Akal Takht, summoned Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the powerful ruler of the Sikh Empire. The Maharaja humbly accepted religious punishment before the institution, reaffirming its supreme moral authority.
Other notable punishments
Apart from Giani Zail Singh, then Union Home Minister Buta Singh was also punished by the Akal Takht. Former CM Surjit Singh Barnala faced religious sanctions after deploying police inside the Golden Temple complex during Operation Black Thunder.
