3 months on, no clarity on nomination process leaves HSGMC without executive panel

Nearly three months after the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) witnessed its first election, the executive committee, which will be its highest decision-making panel in the state, is yet to be formed.

The last meeting of the elected 40 members was called on February 14 at Panchkula, for the nomination of nine members and the election to the executive committee.

However, Gurdwara Election commissioner Justice (retd) HS Bhalla postponed the process to nominate or co-opt members, citing lack of clarity on the rules in the HSGMC Act.

The development led to resentment among the members, who staged a protest at the venue and a few of them also met officials at the chief minister’s office (CMO) to register their resentment.

The elections

In the results announced on January 19, no group got a majority as most of the members for the 40-member committee that won were independents.

Nine members were elected from Jagdish Singh Jhinda’s Panthak Dal (Jhinda) group, followed by six from the Haryana Sikh Panthak Dal (HSPD), three affiliated to Didar Singh Nalvi’s Sikh Samaaj Sanstha and the rest 22 are independents.

The split verdict left the race on running affairs of at least 50 Sikh shrines wide open and left the leaders, who have been waiting for the first election for over two decades, helpless.

Infact, the results forced Jhinda, a former president of the ad-hoc committee, to resign citing his group’s failure to secure a majority. However, the resignation was taken back within hours.

Amid intense lobbying by Jhinda and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-backed HSPD led by Baldev Singh Kaimpuri to lure maximum independents, the latter managed to win over 18 of the 22 independents.

The group announced the formation of Akal Panthak Morcha (APM) and claimed majority with support from the Akalis ahead of the crucial meeting.

Wait and watch

Independent ward member from Tohana in Fatehabad, Amanpreet Kaur, who is part of the APM said that due to the delay, the number of her associates in the group has come down to 17 that had once reached 23, including one member from Jhinda group.

“It has been very long, and we are still waiting for clarity on rules or any intimation from the commission,” she said.

HSPD’s Kaimpuri said since the nine members are not nominated, the formation of executive committee that includes president and his body, will remain pending.

“The act states that there has to be nomination of members, but how, this is not clear. Our group met the chief minister and later our members met the Gurdwara Election commissioner Justice (retd) HS Bhalla. Infact, our members were told that the commissioner has written to the state government, but there has been no response,” he added.

Expressing his disappointment, the Sikh leader said, “Our voters are asking for works to be done, but we are helpless.”

He also alleged that the leaders from the previous ad-hoc committees, “who have been rejected by the community” are trying to influence the elected candidates to get entry into the body.

“We have invited all 40 elected members from all bodies to meet on Thursday in Kurukshetra to discuss the delay and issues arising out of it,” Kaimpuri said.

Delay likely to end soon

A BJP MLA, who wished not to be named, attributed the delay behind the government’s busy schedule in the municipality elections followed by the budget session of the Vidhan Sabha.

However, the MLA, showed hope that the process will be completed by this month.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Justice (retd) HS Bhalla said, “The rules for co-option are currently being formed. Once they are notified by the government, the process will be completed.”

He also clarified that as per the Act, only 40 elected members can put their names forward for the executive panel.