New Delhi, August 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The process for preparing fresh photo electoral rolls for the next Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections is underway, with the Delhi Government proposing to hold the elections before March 31, 2027, according to an affidavit recently filed before the Delhi High Court.
The DSGMC, registered in 1938 under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, subsequently came under the Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1971. The committee manages historical and other gurdwaras in Delhi along with educational institutions, hospitals and an old-age home.
The DSGMC comprises 46 elected and 10 co-opted members. Its first committee was constituted on April 28, 1975, while elections have subsequently been held in 1979, 1995, 2002, 2007, 2013, 2017 and 2021.
The present committee’s executive board was elected on January 22, 2022, following the 2021 general elections. Its four-year tenure ended on January 21, 2026. However, under the Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1971, the existing committee can continue functioning until a new executive board is constituted following the next general elections.
Delhi is divided into 46 gurdwara wards for the elections, with the last fresh delimitation carried out in 2015.
The current voter-list revision assumes significance as electoral rolls dating back to 1983 had been used for previous elections, with subsequent additions, deletions and corrections. The fresh photo voter-list exercise began in September 2025, and 1.65 lakh Sikh voters had been enrolled in the draft rolls by February 28, 2026.
The draft rolls have been displayed from August 24 at zonal offices and designated gurdwaras across the 46 wards. Eligible Sikh residents can apply for inclusion using Form-4, file objections against wrongly enrolled voters through Form-5, and seek corrections through Form-6. The deadline for submitting claims, objections and corrections is September 14, 2026.
The final electoral rolls will be prepared after completion of this process and will form the basis for the next gurdwara elections.
Former DSGMC member and Dashmesh Sewa Society president Inder Mohan Singh has raised concern over what he described as limited participation by Sikh voters in the ongoing enrolment process. He attributed the low enrolment to inadequate awareness efforts by the government, Sikh organisations and Singh Sabhas in Delhi.
He said that if the trend continues, the average electorate in each of the 46 wards could fall to around 4,000 voters from the prevailing figure of about 9,000. He also cautioned that some wards could potentially lose their separate identity and be merged with other wards.
Before the election schedule is announced, the ward delimitation exercise is required to be completed, in consultation with the DSGMC if necessary, to ensure proportionate representation of Sikh voters, according to Singh.
The scale of voter participation was markedly different in the 2021 elections. Of the 3.42 lakh Sikh voters eligible to vote at the time, only 37 per cent, or around 1.26 lakh, exercised their franchise across 546 polling booths in Delhi. The election featured 180 candidates from seven registered parties contesting on reserved election symbols, besides 132 independent candidates.
Following notification of the election results, the Director Gurdwara Elections will convene a meeting of the 46 elected members for the co-option of 10 members. These will include one representative of the SGPC, two representatives selected from among presidents of registered Singh Sabhas in Delhi through a draw of lots, two representatives from Delhi elected by the 46 members, and the Jathedars of the five Sikh Takhts.
After the co-option process, the Director Gurdwara Elections will convene the first meeting of the full 56-member committee. Following the administration of the oath, the members will elect five office-bearers — President, Senior Vice-President, Junior Vice-President, General Secretary and Joint Secretary — along with 10 members of the DSGMC Executive Board.
The Jathedars of the five Sikh Takhts will not have voting rights in the process. The newly constituted executive board will then assume charge, with the Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1971, prescribing a two-year term for the board.
FOLLOW NOW
