Responding to a petition filed by Harmeet Singh Kalka, general secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal Delhi State, which is the incumbent party running the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee affairs, the Delhi government has submitted that elections to the general house of the DSGMC will be held on 22 August and results declared on 25 August. Without seeking a further extension, the Directorate of Gurdwara Elections, the government of Delhi was duty-bound to hold the elections before the last date of extension of the present house on 29 August 2021. WSN Delhi Desk’s Gurmeet Singh reports.

Riding high on a wave of Sewa activities, though beyond the scope of the DSGMC, the Badal Dal -officially Shiromani Akali Dal Delhi state, went to court for early conduct of elections with the hope that their activities will give them the leverage to beat the other parties in the DSGMC elections. This led to their submission in the court of Delhi High Court Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Jyoti SIngh on 22 July seeking directions to the Directorate of Gurdwara elections for rescheduling the polls.

The term of the present house expired in February 2021 and with the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Act 1971, silent on the matter, the directorate had to furnish a fresh date, notwithstanding the earlier reported stand of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal not to conduct the elections due to the Covid19 situation. 

After a two month lull in activity due to the severe Covid19 second wave, the Directorate of Gurdwara Elections is abuzz with activity hoping that all will go well and the elections will be held this time on the rescheduled date of 22 August 2021.

As the 22 August date coincides with the Raksha Bandhan festivities, the Delhi government will be on its toes to impose the Covid19 protocol of social distancing and wearing of masks during the electioneering and festivity period. 

Though the Delhi government has submitted the fresh date of the DSGMC polls, the actions of the government in recent days do not show that the government is happy with public behaviour in handling the pandemic. In the last two days, the Tilak Nagar market in the heart of West Delhi, which sees thousands of footfalls in one day, has been shut by the administration for five days. 

Party contestants and leaders elated at the announcement will have to follow strict protocols for everybody’s welfare.  First-time candidates of all parties in the race, having spent time and money on electioneering have welcomed the decision and have begun social media campaigns and outreach to the Sikh Sangat in their respective constituencies. 

All the parties contesting the DSGMC polls have welcomed the rescheduled date through video broadcasts and are going all out to woo Delhi Sikh voters. 

Harmeet Singh Kalka, President of Shiromani Akali Dal ( Badal) Delhi State, and general secretary of the DSGMC have urged the Sangat to participate and give them another chance.

Shiromani Akali Dal Delhi leader Paramjit SIngh Sarna has welcomed the decision and congratulated everyone involved and requested the Sikhs of Delhi to participate wholeheartedly in the elections. He has also called upon the government to strictly impose the Model Code of Conduct.  

Manjit Singh GK, leader of the Jago Party, welcoming the decision has said that his party was all set to fight the elections and that the Sangat will choose the best candidates.