Amritsar, August 6, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has asserted that it alone holds the exclusive rights to broadcast Gurbani live from Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib and warned that no television channel or digital platform can retransmit the broadcast without its prior approval.
Addressing a press conference at the SGPC headquarters on Wednesday, SGPC President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami said the committee has issued a legal notice to GTC Channel, directing it to immediately stop what he termed an unauthorised retransmission of Gurbani.
Dhami said GTC Channel Managing Director Rabindra Narayan had informed the SGPC through an email late Tuesday night and a Facebook post that the channel had begun broadcasting Gurbani by using the official SGPC YouTube stream. He maintained that such action violated established rules and had been undertaken without the SGPC’s consent.
Providing background, Dhami said the SGPC had terminated its earlier agreement with PTC Channel in 2023 following directions from the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib to establish the SGPC’s own broadcast platform. A sub-committee subsequently examined the proposal and explored the creation of an independent web channel, with technical agencies estimating a monthly operational expenditure of around ₹12 lakh.
He said that after receiving a communication from the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib on July 21, 2023, and considering the sentiments of the Sikh community, the SGPC allowed PTC Channel to continue only the satellite transmission of Gurbani. According to Dhami, PTC agreed to bear the monthly technical and operational costs, while all ownership and broadcasting rights remained exclusively with the SGPC.
Describing Gurbani broadcasting as a matter deeply connected with Sikh religious sentiments, Dhami said attempts to politicise the issue were inappropriate. He maintained that retransmitting Gurbani solely on the basis of a public statement, without any formal authorisation or institutional approval, was not only unethical but also unlawful.
The SGPC President clarified that the official SGPC YouTube stream may be shared, but downloading the content and restreaming it on another platform is not permitted. He warned that any individual or organisation found downloading and retransmitting the live feed would face appropriate legal action.
Dhami also said that if any television channel wishes to obtain permission for live Gurbani telecast, it may submit a formal request to the SGPC, which would consider the matter in accordance with institutional rules after framing an appropriate policy. However, he stressed that no broadcaster has the authority to begin live telecast on its own.
Emphasising the sanctity of Gurbani, Dhami said its broadcast must adhere to Sikh traditions and religious protocol, adding that unrestricted access to live transmission rights cannot be permitted.
Among those present at the press conference were SGPC members Bhai Rajinder Singh Mehta and Bawa Singh Gumanpura, OSD Satbir Singh, Secretary Balwinder Singh Kahlwan, Private Secretary Shahbaz Singh, Sri Darbar Sahib Manager Major Singh, Legal Advisor Advocate Amanbir Singh Siyali, and other officials.
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