Panjab INC Chief Privilege Motion Against CM on Anti-Sacrilege Bill

October

2026

Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann convened a session of the Punjab Legislative Assembly from 22–27 Oct. The session began on 22 Oct with a 10-minute obituary reference, after which Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan adjourned the House. On 23 Oct, the assembly passed a resolution demanding an independent inquiry into alleged irregularities in India's electoral process and voter lists under India’s Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, while expressing serious concern over complaints regarding the large-scale deletion of citizens’ names from electoral rolls and eligible voters being deprived of their voting rights. On the same day, citizens in 103 cities in 18 states protested against the Election Commission of India under the banner ‘People Against SIR’ (Special Intensive Revision of voter lists, in which 130M voters have been deleted). On day 2, Panjab Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, Panjab Indian National Congress (INC) chief Pargat Singh, and INC Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) wore black scarves and raised slogans against the Bhagwant Mann-led government for failing to curb drug trafficking and gangsterism in the state, before staging a walkout. They held up a Laanat Patra (Letter of Shame) to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. The Assembly later suspended MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira for using unparliamentary language against the Speaker, disregarding the Speaker’s authority, and disrupting proceedings. Finance Minister Harpal Cheema moved the resolution, and the Assembly passed the resolution in the absence of INC MLAs. Pargat has moved a Privilege Motion against CM Bhagwant Mann for backing away from amending the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (JJGGSS) (Amendment) Act, also known as the Anti-Sacrilege Bill. Pargat said, 'Despite unanimous agreement among MLAs in the presence of the respected Jathedar (leader) of Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne), the AAP government is backing away from amending the anti-sacrilege law and holding a discussion on it. The CM has also misled the Assembly regarding documents sent from the Panjab Assembly to the President’s Office. On 27 Oct, the Panjab government stopped INC MLAs from entering the Assembly premises. INC MLAs—clad in black robes and holding placards—protested outside the Assembly complex by burning brooms, the election symbol of the ruling AAP, while raising slogans against the government’s policies. The Assembly then passed five resolutions asserting Panjab’s rights over its river waters (earlier coverage).