With the Directorate Gurdwara Elections of the Government of Delhi issuing public notices in leading Delhi newspapers, the process for conducting the elections to the general house of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee has begun with voters to be enlisted online and office from 22 October 2020 with the last date as 20 November 2020. Directions to start the poll process were issued by the Delhi High Court on 14 October after rejecting the plea of the Badal Dal to delay the elections till fresh voter lists are prepared.

AS VARIOUS RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL GROUPS ARE SCURRYING TO GET THEIR ACT TOGETHER -looking for new candidates, enticing turncoats from other groups and some looking for younger candidates and supporters, the Directorate Gurdwara Elections of the Government of Delhi, which is mandated to conduct the Elections under the Delhi Gurdwara Management Act, 1971, has placed advertisements in newspapers calling all eligible Sikh voters to enrol themselves online and offline.

The public notice issued by the Directorate mentions who is is an eligible voter and also asks them to fill in Form 4 for registration as a fresh voter, Form 5 for objecting to an elector and Form 6 for seeking any correction in the existing voter list. The Photo Electoral Rolls are available with the Zonal offices or online on the Directorate website. The List of EROs of Zonal offices is also available on the website for easy reference.

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Management Act, 1971, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Rules, 1974 and other legal aspects of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee are not available on the Delhi Government’s Directorate Gurdwara Election website.

The DGE has issued public notices only in English and Hindi for Sikh voters of Delhi.

The voter list which is used as a basis is the Voter list prepared on the basis of the general voter list, which was corrected on the last two occasions and for which there have been many complaints of mismanagement and tampering of the voter lists.

The qualifications of a Sikh voter for the DSGMC polls is mentioned in detail on the website.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE IN DSGMC ELECTIONS? Every Sikh citizen who is:
1. Residing at a place for not less than 180 days in a Ward.
2. Has attained the age of 18 years or more as
on 1st January 2021.
3. Not trimming or shaving his beard or Keshas.
4. Not smoking and taking Alcoholic Drinks.

Ironically, as is always done, the directorate has issued notices only in English and Hindi for Sikh voters of Delhi.   For registration of votes, go to the website of the Directorate Gurdwara Elections.

WHICH FORM TO FILL?
FORM NO. 4 FOR BECOMING AN ELECTOR.
FORM NO. 5 FOR OBJECTION TO AN ELECTOR.
FORM NO. 6 FOR CORRECTION IN THE EXISTING ELECTORAL ROLLS. 

Though the Directorate had stated that it will complete the process of voter revision in 6 months, the notice gives only one month’s time to register as fresh voters, file objections and make amendments.

Notwithstanding all the anomalies in the system, it is the duty of each and every, eligible Sikh voter, in Delhi to be on the Sikh Voters List for the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee.  The Gurdwaras, the institutions, the heritage, the image, the reputation and status of Sikhs in Delhi is the collective responsibility of all Sikh citizens of Delhi and not just of a wayward Sikh leadership -past or present.

The Washington Post tagline is “Democracy dies in darkness.”  We need to learn from this. In the last DSGMC elections, the voter registration as well as the voter turnout was very low. Sikh residents of Delhi owe it to themselves to register and vote in large numbers.

World Sikh News exhorts Sikh citizens of Delhi to ensure that every single Sikh resident of Delhi registers as a voter.

Let Delhi Sikhs set an example that the whole Sikh population is seized with what will be the future course of the community in the capital of India.

Do you want to sustain the image of the incumbents or the turncoats or infuse new energy and direction?

The responsibility is yours and not that of the state machinery.  Begin with yourself, then your family, then the neighbourhood and then Gurdwaras. Ensure that everyone registers as a voter.