Panjab to Bring Stricter Anti-Sacrilege Law; SGPC Asks for Draft Bill

April

2026

Since the first act of sacrilege in Burj Jawahar Ke village, Faridkot district, on 1 Jun 2015, Panjab has recorded 597 incidents of sacrilege over the last 11 years. Of the 791 accused, police have arrested 544. Convictions have taken place in 44 cases, and 99 people have been acquitted. 83 charges were canceled during investigation, and 37 charges were quashed by courts. 131 cases are under trial, and 101 are still under investigation. Of the 597 cases, 480 involve sacrilege against Sikh religious scriptures and shrines, 92 against Hindu religious places, 14 against Muslim shrines and scriptures, and 11 against Christian places of worship. Most accused are laborers and unemployed youth, though investigations also point to involvement of 44 granthis (reciters), pandits (priests), and pastors. 15–30% of the accused have been found to be mentally unstable. In its Legislative Assembly session on 13 Apr, the Panjab government plans to amend the Jagat Jot Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act (JJGGSS), 2008, a law that originally focused on regulating the publication and handling of the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh scripture and charter) rather than punishment for sacrilege. The AAP government intends to transform this largely regulatory framework into a stricter law dealing specifically with desecration by introducing harsher punishments, even if it is likely to exclude scriptures of other faiths. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the new Bill will be a 'state law' and may not require Presidential approval. However, legal experts say once a law prescribes severe criminal penalties—10 years or more—it falls within the domain of criminal law, which is under the Concurrent List of the Constitution and is subject to the President of India’s approval. On 6 Apr, the apex body of Sikhs, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) called for a meeting of panthic (Sikh collective) bodies. Led by Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne) officiating Jathedar (leader) Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, the gathering unanimously passed a resolution demanding the state government send the draft law on sacrilege to the SGPC for suggestions. Giani Gargajj also demanded that the state pass a separate law against sacrileges and not amend the JJGGSS, which exclusively deals with the printing and publishing of the Guru Granth Sahib (earlier coverage).