The Maharashtra government, under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has approved the repeal of the 70-year-old Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Act, 1956, paving the way for a new law to govern the management of Takhat Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib in Nanded.
New Legislation to Replace 1956 Act
The state cabinet meeting on Monday cleared the proposal to replace the existing Act with the ‘Takhat Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Gurdwara Act’. This marks a structural reset of the legal framework governing the Takhat, a shrine of profound historical and religious importance associated with Guru Gobind Singh. The draft of the new law has received cabinet approval and will be finalised in consultation with the Law and Justice Department before being tabled in the state legislature during the next monsoon session.
Reason for the Overhaul
State Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Krishnarao Bawankule tabled the proposal, stating that many provisions of the 1956 Act had become outdated. He highlighted that the footfall of pilgrims and allied logistics has increased multi-fold, widening the administrative sphere and demanding an entirely new regulatory framework. The push for a new law is rooted in recommendations of a state-appointed committee (Justice Bhatia panel), which examined issues related to governance, management, and the electoral framework of the gurdwara board. The government has maintained that a modernised legal structure is intended to make the administration more transparent, accountable, and efficient.
Reactions and Dissent
Gurinder Singh Bawa, vice-chairman of the Takhat Sri Hazur Sahib Board, confirmed the cabinet's proposal, stating, “The Jathedar and panj pyare had called for a meeting this evening to deliberate on the issue.” Sources said that Takhat Jathedar Giani Kulwant Singh and other religious personalities have lodged their dissent with the government’s move to alter the Act governing one of the Five Temporal Seats of Sikhs.
Background of Friction
The repeal comes against a backdrop of prolonged friction between Sikh bodies and the Maharashtra government over amendments to the same Act in recent years. Earlier changes, especially in 2024, were criticised for increasing the number of government-nominated members on the board while reducing representation of Sikh institutions such as the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Chief Khalsa Diwan. On February 5, 2024, the Maharashtra government had allowed direct nomination of 12 of 17 members of the board. Additionally, the number of members sent by the SGPC was reduced from four to two, and nominations by the Chief Khalsa Diwan, Hazuri Sachkhand Diwan, and membership of two Sikh MPs were abolished. Following a massive protest by the SGPC and other local Sikh organisations, the government was compelled to roll back the amendment. Sikh organisations, including global bodies, had termed these moves a “direct interference” in religious affairs and alleged attempts at state control over a Takhat.
Next Steps
Once the new law is approved by the legislature, it will be followed by fresh rules governing administration, elections, and by-laws of the gurdwara board. The government aims to finalise the draft during the upcoming monsoon session.
