Faridabad: After 11 years, elections for members of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGPC) were held on Sunday. From Ward No. 40 in Faridabad, Ravinder Singh Rana of the Haryana Sikh Panthak Dal secured the first position with 1,885 votes.
Independent candidate Sardar Sukhdev Singh took second place with 1,797 votes, while Ranjot Singh, alias Sunny, secured third with 1,312 votes. Additionally, 28 people opted for NOTA.
Amid tight security, voting was conducted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., recording a turnout of 65%. Results were announced late in the evening. HCS officer Gauri Midha was appointed as the nodal officer by the district administration to ensure the smooth conduct of the election.
One member was selected for Faridabad, Palwal, Nuh, and Tawdu regions. Five prominent groups contested the elections. Voting centers in Faridabad included the Community Center in Sector 15, Model DPS in Sector 87, Government Senior Secondary School in Ballabhgarh, VMM High School in Jawahar Colony, Government School near Tikona Park, and Government School in NIT-5.
Election Delayed by Court Case
The committee was initially formed during former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s government, which also established an ad hoc committee.
However, the matter went to the Supreme Court, halting elections. Even after the court’s decision favored the state government during the BJP regime, elections could not take place. Around 18 months later, another ad hoc committee was formed to facilitate the election process.
First Elections in 11 Years
The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, established on July 11, 2014, is responsible for managing Sikh Gurdwaras in Haryana.
Before its formation, the Shiromani Gurdwara Management Committee (SGPC) oversaw Haryana’s Gurdwaras. The establishment of HSGPC faced opposition from SGPC, leading to a legal battle in the High Court. Consequently, no elections were held for 11 years.
On Sunday, elections were conducted to select 40 committee members for the first time. Retired Justice HS Bhalla, the chairman, assigned administrative and police officers in all districts to ensure the successful completion of the elections.
No Political Parties Involved
The Punjab and Haryana High Court prohibited political parties from contesting these elections. Consequently, members from various groups, including the Gurdwara Sangharsh Committee Haryana, Haryana Sikh Panthak Dal, Panthak Dal Haryana, Sikh Samaj, and Shiromani Akali Dal Azad, participated in the election.
