In view of the urgent need to address the possibility of as many as 65,000 votes getting cancelled because the existing voters failed to attach photos to their existing votes, newly formed grassroots initiative The Sikh Collective has written to the Delhi government minister in charge of Gurdwara Elections Rajendra Pal Gautam and the Director of the Directorate of Gurdwara Elections Narender Singh seeking a 3-week extension to the Voter Registration process for the DSGMC Elections 2021.

CITING COVID19 NEW MUTANT SCARE, BITING COLD weather, religious and social activists and volunteers involvement in selfless service at the Farmers Morcha, acute lack of publicity and awareness by the as the key reasons, the letter says that it would be a grave injustice if such a large chunk of the Sikh citizens are deprived of their right to franchise.

The letter also says that such postponements have happened in the past and there is no need for any panic reaction by the Directorate to push the elections without adequately completing the poll processes, step by step, at all stages.

Nearly two months back, ‘The Sikh Collective’ had made an appeal to the Delhi Sikh Sangat for awareness about the need to wholesomely participate in the voter registration process of the DSGMC.

Participating in the ministerial meetings regarding the conduct of DSGMC elections, The Sikh Collective has made wide-ranging suggestions to make the online process of voter registration smooth and user-friendly.

The Sikh Collective has also sought the intervention of Ajit Pal Singh -the newly-appointed Member of the Delhi Minorities Commission.

The more than 50 plus Sikh personalities, who had earlier signed an appeal to the Sikh Sangat have now written a joint letter to the Delhi Minister seeking an extension of time for voter registration. They have categorically stated, “The Directorate of Gurdwara Elections must not rush with the schedule. The undertaking to the Delhi High Court regarding smooth and timely elections does not mean that we can delete 70,000 votes. This would be grossly unfair.”

“It is disgusting and heart-wrenching to see bad leaders getting elected every now and then, but for all of this, we are to blame,” said Balkar Singh, a devout Sikh of Paschim Vihar, regarding the lacklustre response of the Sikh Sangat. He added, “We will have no ground to protest if bad leaders are elected again if we as the Sangat do not pursue the DSGMC elections in right earnest.”

The World Sikh Chamber of Commerce led by Dr Parmeet Singh Chaddha has also written to the Delhi government asking for an extension of date of the voter registration process.

The Sikh Collective has been writing to the Directorate of Gurdwara Elections seeking extensions and making positive suggestions for a free and fair election to the Directorate of Gurdwara Elections.

The Sikh Collective is following up on the wide-ranging publicity and awareness campaign through various platforms of The World Sikh News for the last three months in English, Punjabi and Hindi regarding various aspects of the DSGMC polls.

“The awareness campaign of The World Sikh News has been a remarkable and timely one. I hope it impacts the participation in the DSGMC elections, said young Sikh activist Baljeet Singh.

The signatories to the document include:  S. Randhawa, former Vice-Admiral, Balkar Singh, activist, Sri Sukhmani Sahib Sewa Society, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi, Birendra Kaur, Former President, Institute of Sikh Studies, Charanjeet Singh, social activist, New Delhi, Chiranjiv Singh, former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Karnataka, Dalbir Singh, former chairman, Central Bank of India, Daljeet Singh, Advisory Board Director, United Sikhs, India, Dr Mohinder Singh, former Member, National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions, Dr Sardara Singh Johl, Chancellor, Central University, Punjab, Goonjeet Singh Chauhan, Architect, Gurpreet Singh Bawa, former president, Gurudwara Defence Colony, Harbhajan Singh, former chairman, Allahabad Bank, Harbhajan Singh Sahni, social activist, co-founder Nishkam, Harcharan Singh Josh, Former Member, National Commission for Minorities, Harcharan Singh Nag, Industrialist –Construction, Harkirat Singh, Managing Trustee, Satnam Sarab Kalyan Trust, Chandigarh, Harneek Singh, Activist, Sikh Youth Foundation, Rajouri Garden, Inderbir Singh Alag, Senior Advocate, Iqbal Singh Anand, Industrialist, Izzat Singh, Chartered Accountant, Convenor, Baba Nanak Di Fauj, Jagmohan Singh, Convenor, The Sikh Collective, Gurmeet Singh, Coordinator, The Sikh Collective, Gurpreet Singh, President, Global Sikh Council, Ravinder Singh Ahuja, Vice President, The Sikh Forum, Giani Kewal Singh, Former Jathedar, Takht Damdama Sahib, Jogishwar Singh, former Managing Director, Kawaljit Singh Oberoi, Chartered Accountant, K S Ahluwalia, Motivational Coach, Kulvinder Singh Sawhney, former Joint-Secretary and Joint Registrar-General, Kulwant Singh, Senior Vice-President, Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Mumbai, Lt Gen (Retd.) Dalbir Singh Sidhu, Lt. Col. (Retd.) J. P. S. Sahi, General Manager, Guru Granth Sahib Vidya Kendra, New Delhi, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) R. S. Sujlana, Member, Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh, Maj Gen (Retd.) P. S. Malhotra, President, Gurudwara Defence Colony, Manjeet Singh Nayyar, Member, Tamil Nadu State Minorities Commission, Manjit Singh Butalia, Advocate, New Delhi, Manjeev Singh Puri, IFS, former Ambassador, Manmeet Singh, Bollywood actor, Short-film producer and actor, N. S. Gujral, former chairman, Punjab & Sind Bank, Partap Singh, DIG (Retd.) Secretary-General, The Sikh Forum, Principal Prabhjot Kaur, former President, Institute of Sikh Studies, Pushpinder Singh Chopra, President, Sikh Forum, Delhi, R. S. Sodhi, former Judge, Delhi High Court, Rajbir Singh, Convenor, Panthak Saanjh, Delhi, Rajinder Singh, leading transporter, President, Guru Nanak College, Chennai, S. B. Singh, Chartered Accountant, Sukhbir Singh Dhupia, Financial expert, Surinder Jit Singh Pall, Chairman, Kes Sambhal Parchar Sanstha, Tejbir Singh Randhawa, former Air Marshal, Tridivesh Singh Maini, Policy Analyst, Upinder Singh Dhindsa, Lawyer, Supreme Court of India