Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Friday, 26 June wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging him to preserve the autonomous character of the Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Board and withdraw a draft law that would allow the state government to pack the board with its own nominees. The appeal comes amid mounting tension within the global Sikh community over what critics describe as an attempt to strip a revered Sikh institution of its religious independence.

What the Draft Law Proposes

According to Badal, the new draft legislation seeks to fundamentally alter the composition and governance of the Takht Sri Hazur Sahib Board — one of Sikhism's five supreme temporal seats, located in Nanded, Maharashtra. The proposed changes, she said, follow recommendations of a state-appointed committee and were drawn up without consulting the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) — the community's premier religious body — or the Hazuri Sachkhand Diwan.

Badal warned that the absence of prior consultation with Sikh bodies has fuelled a growing perception that the move is designed to end the board's autonomy. 'Sikhs worldwide also perceive this as an attempt to take complete control of the shrine to the detriment of the community,' she wrote in her letter.

Background: The February 2024 Amendment and Its Rollback

This is not the first time the Maharashtra government has sought to reshape the board's structure. In February 2024, the state amended the Act governing the shrine, clearing the way for the government to nominate 12 of the 17 board members directly. The amendment simultaneously reduced the SGPC's representation and abolished the roles of the Chief Khalsa Diwan and the Hazuri Sachkhand Diwan on the board altogether.

That move triggered massive protests from the SGPC and local Sikh organisations, forcing the Maharashtra government to roll back the amendment. However, according to Badal, the state now appears intent on reintroducing similar structural changes through an entirely new Act — effectively circumventing the community's earlier victory.

Community's Collective Stand

Badal emphasised that there is unanimity within the Sikh community that any decision affecting the maryada (code of conduct), management, and religious autonomy of Takht Sri Hazur Sahib must not be taken unilaterally by the state. She noted that the Takht's management has also issued a gurmata — a collective edict carrying religious authority — specifically opposing the Maharashtra government's decision to repeal the existing Act.

Notably, the issuance of a gurmata signals the highest level of institutional disapproval within Sikh religious governance, underscoring how seriously the community views the proposed changes.

What Harsimrat Badal Is Demanding

In her letter, Badal made two specific demands: first, that the old Act be allowed to remain in force; and second, that the new draft law be withdrawn entirely. She argued that honouring these demands would help defuse the tension that has built up within the Sikh community, which feels the Maharashtra government should refrain from interfering in their religious affairs.

'Accordingly, the old Act should be allowed to remain in force by withdrawing the new draft law. This will serve to diffuse the tension which has risen in the Sikh community, which feels the Maharashtra government should desist from interfering in their religious affairs,' Badal said.

The Maharashtra government is yet to formally respond to the letter. With the Sikh community's religious leadership, its premier institutional body, and now a sitting Member of Parliament aligned in opposition, the pressure on Chief Minister Fadnavis to reconsider the draft legislation is considerable.