Akal Takht vs Punjab anti-sacrilege law

The Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhism, has objected to the Jagat Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, passed by the India — Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in India — Punjab, India, on April 13, 2026. The law introduces harsher punishments for sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib, including life imprisonment, and imposes new administrative rules on registration and custody of the scripture. The Akal Takht argues that the law was passed without consulting Sikh religious institutions and encroaches on matters of Sikh religious practice. On June 29, 2026, all 78 Sikh MLAs and cabinet ministers appeared before the Akal Takht, where officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj gave the Punjab government one month to amend the law according to Sikh sentiments and eliminate objectionable clauses. The government, through Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, agreed to examine the proposed amendments. Opposition parties, including the India — Indian National Congress, India — Bharatiya Janata Party, and India — Shiromani Akali Dal, criticized the AAP government for mishandling the issue. The dispute occurs ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.