Punjab Assembly Unanimously Passes Historic Amendment to Sacrilege Law
The Punjab legislative assembly, in a landmark move on Monday, unanimously passed the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026. This significant legislation introduces life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit sacrilege and dramatically expands the scope of the law to explicitly cover acts of desecration committed through digital and electronic means.
Enhanced Punishments and Expanded Definitions
The amended law prescribes the harshest punishment for criminal conspiracy to commit sacrilege with the intent to disturb communal harmony. It mandates a minimum of 10 years' imprisonment, which can be extended to life, accompanied by substantial fines ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 25 lakh. Notably, those found abetting such offences will face the same severe penalties.
For direct acts of sacrilege involving Saroops, the legislation provides for imprisonment between seven and 20 years, along with fines of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. Attempts to commit such offences will attract three to five years' imprisonment and fines between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 3 lakh.
The bill crucially expands the legal definition of sacrilege to include acts committed through electronic means. It defines sacrilege as any wilful and deliberate act, committed with the intent of desecration by way of physical damaging, defacing, burning, tearing or theft of the Saroop(s) of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib or part thereof, or by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or through electronic means or otherwise, which is of such a nature as to hurt the religious feelings of persons professing the Sikh faith.
Stringent Legal Procedures and Exclusive Control Measures
All offences under this Act have been classified as cognisable, non-bailable, and non-compoundable, with trials to be conducted exclusively by courts of sessions. Investigations must be carried out by officers not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) or Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and are required to be completed expeditiously.
The bill also imposes strict restrictions on the printing, storage, and distribution of Saroops, granting exclusive control to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) or its authorised entities. It mandates the creation of a centralised register with unique identification numbers for each Saroop, with records to be maintained in both physical and digital formats and updated monthly on the official SGPC website.
Custodians have been placed under a legal obligation to ensure safe custody and must immediately report any damage, loss, or suspected sacrilege. Officials stated that the amendment route was strategically chosen to avoid procedural delays associated with changes in central laws.
Key Features of the Legislation
- Life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit sacrilege.
- 7–20 years' jail for direct acts; attempts punishable with 3–5 years.
- Offences are non-bailable and non-compoundable; trials to be held in sessions courts.
- DSP/ACP-rank officers mandated to investigate cases.
- SGPC given exclusive control over printing and tracking of Saroops.
- Definition of sacrilege expanded to include acts via electronic means.
- Covers content that hurts Sikh religious sentiments online or digitally.
