📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs
Religion
SGPC Announces Accelerated Gurudwara Reform Drive, Faces Scrutiny Over Operations
✍️ Amar Ujala · Amritsar
🗓 29 Sep 2026, 03:32 PM
👁 12
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee said it will fast‑track its ongoing reform agenda, while observers questioned the committee’s management practices.
In a press briefing held in Amritsar, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) announced that it will intensify its ongoing Gurudwara reform drive, aiming to implement changes more swiftly across its network of Sikh places of worship. The committee said the accelerated timeline is intended to address administrative bottlenecks and improve service delivery to devotees.
The reform agenda includes measures to streamline financial management, enhance transparency in decision‑making, and upgrade the upkeep of historic Gurudwaras. SGPC officials indicated that a dedicated task force will monitor progress and report outcomes to the Sikh community.
However, the announcement was met with criticism from several Sikh scholars and civil‑society groups, who raised concerns about the SGPC’s existing operational practices. Critics pointed to past allegations of mismanagement and called for independent oversight before the reforms are rolled out.
In response, SGPC representatives asserted that the new reforms are designed to rectify earlier shortcomings and pledged to cooperate with any legitimate oversight mechanisms. The committee scheduled a follow‑up meeting next week to detail implementation steps.
The development marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate over how Sikh religious institutions are governed, with the accelerated reform drive likely to shape the SGPC’s role in the coming months.
The reform agenda includes measures to streamline financial management, enhance transparency in decision‑making, and upgrade the upkeep of historic Gurudwaras. SGPC officials indicated that a dedicated task force will monitor progress and report outcomes to the Sikh community.
However, the announcement was met with criticism from several Sikh scholars and civil‑society groups, who raised concerns about the SGPC’s existing operational practices. Critics pointed to past allegations of mismanagement and called for independent oversight before the reforms are rolled out.
In response, SGPC representatives asserted that the new reforms are designed to rectify earlier shortcomings and pledged to cooperate with any legitimate oversight mechanisms. The committee scheduled a follow‑up meeting next week to detail implementation steps.
The development marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate over how Sikh religious institutions are governed, with the accelerated reform drive likely to shape the SGPC’s role in the coming months.