Only Keshdhari Sikhs to have Voting Rights in Haryana Gurdwara Polls

The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) will be going to polls soon. The state called for creation of fresh voters’ lists by 15 Nov based on self-declaration by Sikhs. On 26 Oct, the president of the ad hoc HSGMC, Bhupinder Singh Assandh, said that only Keshdhari (unshorn hair) and Sabat Surat (complete appearance) Sikhs, who have faith in Guru Granth Sahib and are followers of all 10 Sikh Gurus, will have voting rights. The decision was taken following reports that deredars (sect-followers) are also applying for voting rights. Asandh said, ‘The total Sikh population is around 18 lakh but the number of voters is only two lakh. The number of the voters should be around 10 lakh.’ One reason for the low registration is the Keshdhari vs Sehajdhari vs Patit tangle. In Panjabi language encyclopedia Mahankosh, revered Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha defined the term Sehajdhari as a ‘natural follower’ of the tenets of Sikhi who maintains unshorn hair but is not an initiated Sikh. This definition was not considered in the 1944 amendments to Gurdwara Act, 1925. In 1958, the Sehajdharis meant shorn hair who got voting rights but lost them again in 2003. Those with shorn hair have now become Patit (implying heretics, not apostates), ineligible to vote. The issue has affected the SGPC elections too. If the Gurdwara committees truly wish to be representative of the Sikhs, they must solve this tangle. Changing definitions are in conflict with those documented in the Sikh Rehat Maryada (code of conduct).