THE DELHI SIKH GURDWARAS ACT, 1971 
_________ 
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 
__________ 
PART I 
PRELIMINARY 

SECTIONS 

1. Short title, extent and commencement. 
2. Definitions. 

PART II 
THE COMMITTEE 

3. Incorporation of the Committee. 
4. Composition of the Committee. 
5. Term of office. 
6. Delimitation of wards. 
7. Electoral roll. 
8. Qualifications of elector. 
9. Right to vote. 
10. Qualifications of member. 
11. Elections. 
12. Publication of results. 
13. Director Gurdwara Elections. 
14. First meeting of the elected members. 
15. First meeting of the Committee. 
16. Election of office bearers. 
16A. Power to convene another meeting for election of office-bearers. 
17. Vacation, resignation and removal of members and office-bearers. 
18. Fees and allowances of members. 
19. Meetings of the Committee and the Executive Board. 
20. Sub-committees. 
21. Powers of the Executive Board and its office-bearers. 
22. Validity of acts of Committee, Executive Board or sub-committees not to be questioned by reason 

of vacancy, etc. 

23. Officers and other employees of the Committee. 

PART III 
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE 

24. Powers and functions of the Committee. 

PART IV 
GURDWARA FUND, ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT 

25. Gurdwara Fund. 
26. Prohibition regarding making of contributions for political purposes. 
27. Budget. 
28. Maintenance of accounts. 
29. Audit of Accounts. 

1 

SECTIONS 

30. Consideration of the auditor’s report by the Committee. 

PART V 
SETTLEMENT OF ELECTIONS AND OTHER DISPUTES 

31. Election disputes, electoral offences etc. 
32. Jurisdiction of District Court in other matters. 
33. Appeals. 

PART VI 
MISCELANEOUS 

34. Procedure for affiliation of local Gurdwaras. 
35. Act not to affect rites and practices of Sikh religion. 
36. Members, officers and other employees to be public servants. 
37. Salary, etc., of the Director Gurdwara Elections to be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund of 

India in the first instance. 
38. Protection of action taken. 
39. Power to make rules. 
40. Power of Committee to make regulations. 
41. Repeal and Saving. 
THE SCHEDULE. 

2 

THE DELHI SIKH GURDWARAS ACT, 1971 

ACT NO. 82 OF 1971 

An Act to provide for the proper management of the Sikh Gurdwaras and Gurdwara property in 

Delhi and for matters connected therewith. 

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Twenty-second Year of the Republic of India as follows:— 

[30th December, 1971.] 

PART I 

PRELIMINARY 

1. Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras 

Act, 1971. 

(2) It extends to the whole of the Union territory of Delhi. 

(3)  It  shall  come  into  force  on  such  date1 as  the  Central  Government  may,  by  notification  in  the 

Official Gazette, appoint. 

2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— 

(a) “appointed day” means the date on which this Act shall come into force; 

(b) “Board” means the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Board constituted under section 3 of the Delhi Sikh 

Gurdwaras (Management) Act, 1971 (24 of 1971); 

(c)  “Committee”  means  the  Delhi  Sikh  Gurdwara  Management  Committee  established  under             

section 3; 

(d) “Delhi” means the Union territory of Delhi; 

(e)  “Director  Gurdwara  Elections”  means  the  Director  Gurdwara  Elections  appointed  by  the 

Central Government under section 13; 

(f)  “Gurdwaras”  means  the  Sikh  Gurdwaras  situated  in  Delhi  as  were,  immediately  before  the 
appointed day, being managed by or affiliated to the Board and includes such other local Gurdwaras 
as may, after the appointed day, be affiliated to or managed by the Committee; 

(g) “Gurdwara property” means,— 

(i) all movable and immovable property which, immediately before the appointed day, vested 

or was kept in deposit in the name of the Board; 

(ii) all property which stands in the name of the Gurdwaras or in the name of the Board or the 

present or old managers of the historic Gurdwaras; 

(iii)  all  offerings  in  cash  or  kind  made  in  various  Gurdwaras  or  institutions  managed  or 

controlled by the Committee; 

(iv)  all  property  in  cash  or  kind,  movable  as  well  as  immovable  that  may  be  acquired  by 

purchase, exchange or otherwise by the Gurdwaras, or the Committee, from time to time; 

(v) all grants, donations or contributions made, from time to time, by any person or authority 

to the Gurdwaras or the Committee, 

and includes any actionable claim with respect to such Gurdwara property; 

(h)  “local  Gurdwara”  means  a  Gurdwara  in  Delhi,  other  than  a  Gurdwara  under  the  control  or 

management of the Board immediately before the appointed day; 

1. 7th April, 1972, vide notification No. G.S.R. 241(E), dated 7th April, 1972, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, 

sec. 3 (i). 

3 

                                                           
(i) a person shall not be deemed to be “ordinarily resident” in a ward on the ground only that he 
owns or is in possession of a dwelling-house therein and a person absenting himself temporarily from 
his place of ordinary residence shall not by reason thereof cease to be ordinarily resident therein; 

(j) “patit” means a Sikh who trims or shaves his beard or hair (keshas) or who after taking Amrit 

commits any one or more of the four Kurahitis; 

(k)  “registered  Singh  Sabha”  means  a  Singh  Sabha  registered  as  a  society  under  the  Societies 

Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860), which is managing or controlling a local Gurdwara in Delhi; 

(l) “regulation” means a regulation made under this Act by the Committee; 

(m) “rule” means a rule made under this Act by the Central Government; 

(n) “Sikh” means a person who professes the Sikh religion, believes and follows the teachings of 
Sri Guru Granth Sahib and the ten Gurus only and keeps unshorn hair (Keshas). For the purposes of if 
any question arises as to whether any living person is or is not a Sikh, he shall be deemed respectively 
to be or not to be a Sikh according as he makes or refuses to make in the manner prescribed by rules 
the following declaration:— 

“I solemnly affirm that I am a Keshadhari Sikh, that I believe in and follow the teachings of Sri 
Guru Granth Sahib and the ten Gurus only, and that I have no other religion.”; 

(o) “Amritdhari Sikh” means and includes every Sikh who has taken Khande ka Amrit or Khanda 
Pahul, prepared and administered according to the tenets of Sikh religion and rites at the hands of five 
Pyaras or “beloved ones”. 

PART II 
THE COMMITTEE 

3.  Incorporation  of  the  Committee.—(1)  With  effect  from  such  date  as  the  Central  Government 
may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint, there shall be established a Committee to be called 
the  Delhi  Sikh  Gurdwara  Management  Committee  for  the  proper  management  and  control  of  the 
Gurdwaras and Gurdwara property. 

(2)  The  Committee  shall  be  a  body  corporate  with  the  name  aforesaid  having  perpetual  succession 

and a common seal and shall by such name sue and be sued. 

(3) The Committee shall have its head office in Delhi. 

4. Composition of the Committee.—The Committee shall consist of— 

(a)  forty-six  members  to  be  elected  from  various  wards  into  which  Delhi  shall  be  divided  in 

accordance with the provisions of this Act; 

(b)  nine  members  to  be  co-opted  by  the  elected  members  of  the  Committee  referred  to  in                 

clause (a) in the manner hereinafter appearing,— 

(i)  two  members  to  represent the  registered  Singh  Sabhas  of  Delhi  who  shall  be  chosen  by 

drawing of lots out of the Presidents of those registered Singh Sabhas; 

(ii)  four  members,  each  being  the  head  priest  of  the  (1)  Sri  Akal  Takhat  Sahib,  Amritsar,               

(2) Sri Takhat Kesgarh Sahib, Anandpur, (3) Sri Takhat Patna Sahib, Patna, and (4) Sri Takhat 
Hazur Sahib, Nanded: 

Provided  that  the  head  priest  shall  have  no  right  to  vote  for  the  purpose  of  election  of               

office-bearers and other members of the Executive Board under sub-section (1) and sub-section 
(2) of section 16; 

(iii)  one  member,  being  the  nominee  of  the  Shromani  Gurdwara  Parbandhak  Committee, 

Amritsar; 

(iv) two members to represent the Sikh community of Delhi, other than those referred to in 
sub-clause (i), sub-clause (ii) and sub-clause (iii), to be chosen in accordance with the system of 
proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote. 

4 

5. Term of office.—(1) Save as otherwise provided in this section, the term of office of a member of 
the Committee shall be four years and shall commence from the date on which the first meeting of the 
Committee is held under section 15, and no longer. 

(2) When a vacancy occurs in the Committee owing to death, resignation, removal or otherwise of a 
member,  a  new  member  shall  be  elected  or  co-opted,  as  the  case  may  be,  in  the  manner  in  which  the 
member whose seat is to be filled was elected or co-opted and every such member shall continue to hold 
office so long only as the member in whose place he is elected or co-opted would have been entitled to 
hold office, if the vacancy had not occurred. 

(3) An outgoing member shall continue in office until the notification of election or co-option of his 

successor is published under section 12. 

6. Delimitation of wards.—(1) For the purpose of election of members of the Committee, Delhi shall 

be divided into single member wards. 

(2) The Director Gurdwara Elections shall by order determine— 

(a) the number of wards; and 

(b) the extent of each ward. 

(3)  The  Director  Gurdwara  Elections  may,  from  time  to  time,  in  consultation  with  the  Committee, 

alter or amend any order made under sub-section (2). 

7.  Electoral  roll.—(1)  An  electoral roll shall  be prepared  in  such  manner  as may  be  prescribed  by 
rules for every ward notified under section 6 on which shall be entered the names of all persons entitled to 
be registered as voters in that ward. 

(2) No person shall be entitled to be registered in the electoral roll for any ward more than once. 

(3) No person shall be entitled to be registered in the electoral roll for more than one ward. 

8. Qualifications of elector.—Every person who— 

(a) has been ordinarily resident in a ward for not less than one hundred and eighty days during the 

qualifying period, 

(b) is a Sikh of not less than twenty-one years of age on the qualifying date, 

shall be entitled to be registered in the electoral roll for that ward: 

Provided that no person shall be registered as an elector who— 

(a) trims or shaves his beard or keshas; 

(b) smokes; 

(c) takes alcoholic drinks. 

Explanation.—For the purpose of this section, the “qualifying date” and the “qualifying period”— 

(i) in the case of electoral rolls first prepared under this Act, shall be the 1st day of January, 1972, 

and  the  period  beginning  on  the  1st  day  of  January,  1971  and  ending  on  the  31st  day  of                
December, 1971, respectively; and 

(ii) in the case of every electoral roll subsequently prepared under this Act, shall be the 1st day of 
January of the year in which it is prepared and the year immediately preceding that year respectively. 

9. Right to vote.—Every person registered on the electoral roll for the time being in force for any 
ward for the election of a member of the Committee, shall be entitled while so registered to vote  at an 
election of a member for that ward, provided that no person shall be entitled to vote at an election in more 
than one ward. 

10. Qualifications  of member.—(1)  A person shall  not  be  qualified to  be  chosen  or co-opted  as a 

member of the Committee if such person— 

(a) has not attained the age of twenty-five years; 

5 

(b) is not a citizen of India; 

(c) in the case of an elected member, if he is not registered as an elector in the electoral roll for 

any ward; 

(d) is not an Amritdhari Sikh; 

(e) being an Amritdhari Sikh, trims or shaves his beard or keshas; 

(f) takes alcoholic drinks; 

(g) smokes; 

(h) is a patit; 

(i) is of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court; 

(j) is an undischarged insolvent; 

(k)  has  been  convicted  of  an  offence  involving  moral  turpitude  or  has  been  dismissed  from 

service by Government, Board, Committee or any local authority, on account of moral turpitude; 

(l) is a paid servant of any Gurdwara or a local Gurdwara; 

(m) not being a blind person cannot 1[read and write] Gurmukhi. 

Explanation.—A person shall be deemed to— 

(i) be able to read Gurmukhi if he is able to recite Sri Guru Granth Sahib, in Gurmukhi, and 

(ii) write Gurmukhi if he fills his nomination paper for election to the Committee in Gurmukhi in 

his own handwriting. 

If any question arises whether a candidate is or is not able to read and write Gurmukhi, the question 

shall be decided in such manner as may be 2[prescribed by rules]. 

(2) If a person sits or votes as a member of the Committee when he knows that he is not qualified for 
such membership, he shall be liable in respect of each day on which he so sits or votes to a penalty of 
three hundred rupees which shall be recoverable as an arrear of land revenue. 

11. Elections.—Election of members under clause (a) of section 4 whether for the purpose of initial 
constitution of the Committee under section 3, or for filling vacancies arising by efflux of time or a casual 
vacancy, shall be conducted by the Director Gurdwara Elections in accordance with the rules made in this 
behalf: 

Provided that no election shall be held to fill a casual vacancy occurring within four months prior to 

the holding of a general election under this section. 

12.  Publication  of  results.—(1)  The  names  of  all  persons  elected  as  members  of  the  Committee 
shall,  as  soon  as  may  be,  after  such  election  be  published  by  the  Director  Gurdwara  Elections  in  the 
manner prescribed by rules. 

(2)  The  names  of  all  persons  co-opted  as  members  under  clause  (b)  of  section  4  shall  likewise  be 

published by the Director Gurdwara Elections in the manner prescribed by rules. 

13. Director Gurdwara Elections.—(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official 
Gazette,  appoint  a  suitable  person  to  be  the  Director  Gurdwara  Elections  in  whom  shall  vest  the 
superintendence,  direction  and  control  of  the  preparation  of  electoral  rolls  for,  and  the  conduct  of, 
elections of members of the Committee. 

(2)  A  person  shall  not  be  qualified  for  appointment  as  Director  Gurdwara  Elections  unless  he  is  a 
citizen of India and possesses judicial or administrative experience for a period of not less than ten years. 

1. Subs. by Act 46 of 1974, s. 2, for “read or write” (w.e.f. 23-9-1974). 
2. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for “prescribed by regulations” (w.e.f. 23-9-1974). 

6 

                                                           
(3) Subject to the provisions of section 37, the term of office, and the terms and conditions of service 

of the Director Gurdwara Elections shall be such as may be prescribed by rules. 

14.  First  meeting  of  the  elected  members.—(1)  The  persons  to  be  co-opted  as  members  of  the 
Committee  under  clause  (b),  of  section  4  shall  be  chosen  at  the  first  meeting  of  the  elected  members 
which shall be convened by the Director Gurdwara Elections as early as possible and not later than fifteen 
days after publication of the results of the election under sub-section (1) of section 12. 

(2)  The  Director  Gurdwara  Elections  may  adjourn  the  first  meeting  of  the  elected  members  to  any 
other  date  or  dates,  being  not later  than fifteen  days from  the date  of the first meeting  aforesaid, if  the 
elected members are unable to choose all persons to be co-opted at that first meeting. 

15. First meeting of the Committee.—(1) The Director Gurdwara Elections shall summon the first 
meeting of the Committee to meet on such date, not being later than fifteen days after the publication of 
the names of the members co-opted under sub-section (2) of section 12, as he thinks fit. 

(2) The  first  meeting  shall  be  held at such time  and place  as  the  Director  Gurdwara  Elections  may 

appoint and shall be presided by him: 

Provided that while so presiding at the meeting of the Committee, the Director Gurdwara Elections 

shall have no right to vote. 

(3)  Every  member  of  the  Committee  shall,  before  taking  his  seat  make  and  subscribe  before  the 

Director Gurdwara Elections an oath according to the form set out for the purpose in the Schedule. 

(4)  The  members  of  the  Committee  shall  proceed  thereafter  to  elect  from  amongst  themselves  a                

pro tempore Chairman in such manner as may be prescribed by rules, who shall preside at the meeting 
until the Committee elects the President. 

16. Election of office bearers.—(1) The Committee shall, at its first meeting after the election of the 
pro tempore Chairman under sub-section (4) of section 15, elect from amongst its members a President, 
who  shall  conduct  the  election  of  other  office-bearers  and  members  of  the  Executive  Board  under  this 
section. 

(2)  The  Committee  shall  also  at  its  first  meeting  elect  from  amongst  its  members  a  Senior                       

Vice-President, Junior Vice-President, General Secretary and a Joint Secretary (hereinafter referred to as 
office-bearers  of  the  Committee),  and  shall  also  at  the  same  meeting  in  like  manner  elect  ten  of  its 
members to be members of the Executive Board of the Committee, and the office-bearers and members so 
elected shall be the Executive Board of the Committee. 

1* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

(4)  No  member  of  the  Committee  shall,  at  the  same  time,  hold  any  of  the  offices  referred  to  in                  

sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) in more than one capacity. 

(5)  The  President  and  other  members  of  the  Executive  Board  elected  under  sub-section  (1)  or          

sub-section (2) shall hold office for a term of one year but shall be eligible for re-election for one more 
term only: 

Provided  that  an  outgoing  office-bearer  or  member  shall  continue  in  office  until  election  of  his 

successor is held. 

(6) The election of the President and other office-bearers and members of the Executive Board under 
sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) or any subsequent annual election to any of those offices shall be held 
in such manner as may be prescribed by rules. 

(7) The provisions of sub-section (2) of section 5 shall apply so far as may be to the filling of a casual 
vacancy  in  the  2[office  of the  President,  any  other  office-bearer  or  member  of  the  Executive  Board]  as 
they apply in relation to casual vacancies in the membership of the Committee. 

1. Sub-section (3) omitted by Act 6 of 1981, s. 2 (w.e.f. 21-1-1961). 
2. Subs. by Act 46 of 1974, s. 3, for “membership of the Executive Board” (w.e.f. 23-9-1974). 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
1[16A. Power to convene another meeting for election of office-bearers.—If the Committee at its 
first  meeting  is  unable  to  elect  a  pro  tempore  Chairman  or  a  President  or  any  other  office-bearer  or 
member of the Executive Board under sub-section (4) of section 15 or sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) 
of section 16, the Director Gurdwara Elections shall summon another meeting of the Committee, being 
not later than fifteen days from the date of the first meeting, for the election of the pro tempore Chairman, 
the President or the remaining office-bearers or members of the Executive Board, as the case may be. 

(2)  The  provisions  of  sections  15  and  16  shall,  so  far  as  may  be,  apply  to  the  conduct  of  election 

under sub-section (1).] 

17.  Vacation,  resignation  and  removal  of  members  and  office-bearers.—(1)  A  member  of  the 

Committee may resign his office by writing under his hand addressed to the President. 

(2) An office-bearer or any other member of the Executive Board— 

(a) shall vacate his office if he ceases to be a member of the Committee; 

(b) may at any time by writing under his hand addressed to the Committee resign his office; and 

(c)  may  be  removed  from  his  office  by  a  resolution of  the  Committee  passed  by  a  three-fourth 

majority of the total members thereof: 

Provided that no resolution for the purpose of clause (c) shall be moved unless it is supported by not 
less than seventeen members of the Committee and fourteen days’ notice has been given of their intention 
to move the resolution. 

(3) The resignation of office under sub-section (1) or clause (b) of sub-section (2) shall be effective 

from the date from which it is accepted by the Executive Board or the Committee, as the case may be. 

18. Fees and allowances of members.—Any office-bearer or other member of the Executive Board 
or any other member of the Committee may, if he so desires, draw such fees and allowances for attending 
the  meetings  of  the  Executive  Board  or  the  Committee  and  for  attending  to  any  other  work  of  the 
Executive Board or the Committee, as the case may be, as may be prescribed by regulations. 

19. Meetings of the Committee and the Executive Board.—(1) The annual general meeting of the 

Committee shall be held in every year. 

(2)  The  Executive  Board  shall  meet  at  least  once  in  every  fortnight  or  at  such  intervals  as  may  be 

prescribed by regulations. 

(3) The President, or in his absence the Senior Vice-President and in the absence of both, the Junior 
Vice-President, and in the absence of all the three, any other member elected from amongst themselves 
shall preside at any meeting of the Committee or of the Executive Board. 

(4)  The  Committee  or  the  Executive  Board  shall  observe  such  rules  of  procedure  in  regard  to 

transaction of the business at its meetings as may be prescribed by regulations. 

(5) Save as otherwise provided, all questions which come up before any meeting of the Committee or 
the Executive Board shall be decided by a majority of votes of the members present and voting and in the 
event of equality of votes, the person presiding shall have a second or casting vote. 

(6)  All  proceedings  of  the  meetings  of  the  Committee  or  the  Executive  Board  shall  be  recorded  in 

Punjabi in Gurmukhi script. 

20. Sub-committees.—(1) The Executive Board may constitute such number of sub-committees from 

amongst the members of the Committee as it thinks fit and for such purpose as it may decide. 

(2) A sub-committee constituted under sub-section (1) shall meet at such time and places and shall 
observe  such  rules  of  procedure  in  regard  to  the  transaction  of  business  at  its  meetings  as  may  be 
prescribed by regulations. 

1. Ins. by Act 46 of 1974, s. 4 (w.e.f. 23-9-1974). 

8 

                                                           
(3) A member of a sub-committee may, if he so desires, draw such fees and allowances for attending 
its  meetings  and  for  attending  to  any  other  work  of  the  sub-committee,  as  may  be  prescribed  by 
regulations. 

21. Powers of the Executive Board and its office-bearers.—(1) The Executive Board shall exercise 
on behalf of the Committee all powers conferred on the Committee by the provisions of this Act which 
are not expressly reserved to be exercised by the Committee in general meeting. 

(2) The President or any other office-bearer of the Executive Board may exercise such powers and 
perform such duties as may be prescribed by regulations or as may, from time to time, be delegated by the 
Executive Board. 

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), the President may, on 
his own motion or otherwise, after calling the record of any case, revise any order passed by any authority 
to whom such powers have been delegated by the Executive Board and— 

(i) confirm, modify or set aside the order, 

(ii) impose  any  penalty  or set  aside,  reduce,  confirm  or  enhance the  penalty  imposed  upon  any 

employee of the Committee, 

(iii) remit the case to the authority which made the order or to any other authority directing such 

further action or inquiry as considered proper in the circumstances of the case, or 

(iv) pass such other orders as he deems fit. 

(4)  No  order  passed  by  the  President  under  sub-section  (3)  shall  be  enforced  unless  and  until  it  is 

confirmed by the Executive Board. 

22. Validity of acts of Committee, Executive Board or sub-committees not to be questioned by 

reason  of  vacancy,  etc.—No  act  or  proceeding  of  the  Committee  or  the  Executive  Board  or  any                    
sub-committee shall be invalidated by reason only of the existence of any vacancy amongst its members 
or any defect in the constitution thereof. 

23.  Officers  and  other  employees  of  the  Committee.—(1)  The  Committee  may  appoint  such 
number  of  officers  and  other  employees  as  it  considers  necessary  for  the  efficient  performance  of  its 
functions, and may, from time to time, determine the number, designations, grades and scales of pay or 
other remuneration of the officers and other employees, and may at any time reduce, suspend, remove or 
dismiss or impose any other penalty on any officer or other employee for carelessness, unfitness, neglect 
of duty or other misconduct. 

(2) The officers and other employees appointed under sub-section (1) shall exercise such powers and 
perform such duties as may be prescribed by regulations or as may, from time to time, be delegated by the 
Committee. 

(3) The terms and conditions of service of the officers and other employees shall be such as may be 

prescribed by regulations. 

PART III 
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE 

24. Powers  and functions  of the  Committee.—Subject to the  provisions  of this  Act  and  the  rules 
made thereunder, the control, direction and general superintendence over all the Gurdwaras and Gurdwara 
property in Delhi shall vest in the Committee, and it shall be the duty of the Committee— 

(i) to arrange for the proper performance of the religious rites and ceremonies in the Gurdwaras, 

(ii) to provide facilities for worship by the devotees at the Gurdwaras, 

(iii) to ensure safe custody of its funds, movable and immovable properties, deposits, offerings in 

cash or kind, 

(iv) to do all such things as may be incidental and conducive to the efficient management of the 
affairs of Gurdwaras, educational and other institutions under the Committee and their properties or 
to the convenience of devotees, 

9 

(v) to provide suitable accommodation and facilities for pilgrims, 

(vi) to maintain free langars, 

(vii)  to  manage  the  historic  and  other  Gurdwaras,  educational  and  other  institutions  and  their 

properties in such a way as to make them inspiring centres of the Sikh tradition, culture and religion, 

(viii)  to  ensure  maintenance  of  order,  discipline  and  proper  hygienic  conditions  in  Gurdwaras, 

educational and other institutions under its management, 

(ix) to open free dispensaries, 

(x) to spread education, especially the knowledge of Punjabi, in Gurmukhi script, 

(xi) to establish educational institutions, research centres and libraries. 

(xii)  to  render  financial  assistance  to  religious  and  educational  institutions,  societies  and  needy 

persons, 

(xiii) to give stipends to needy and deserving students, 

(xiv)  to  render  help  in  the  case  of  the  uplift  of  the  Sikh  community  and  propagation  of  Sikh 

religion, 

(xv)  to  perform  such  other  functions  and  to  do  such  religious  or  charitable  acts,  as  may  be 

prescribed by regulations for carrying out the purposes of this Act. 

PART IV 

GURDWARA FUND, ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT 

25.  Gurdwara  Fund.—(1)  There  shall  be  a  Gurdwara  Fund  and  all  receipts  and  income  of  the 
Gurdwaras  and  of  the  Gurdwara  property  (including  all  amounts  comprised  for  the  time  being  in 
Gurdwara property) shall be credited thereto. 

(2) The Gurdwara Fund shall be held by the Committee in trust for the purposes of this Act subject to 
the provisions herein contained and shall not be utilised for any purpose other than the one authorised by 
this Act or the rules or regulations made thereunder. 

(3)  All  expenses  incurred  or  payments  or  disbursements  to  be  made,  by  the  Committee  in  the 

discharge of its functions under this Act shall be made from the Gurdwara Fund. 

26. Prohibition regarding making of contributions for political purposes.—Nothing contained in 

this Act shall, or shall be deemed to authorise the Committee to contribute any amount or amounts— 

(a) to any political party, or 

(b) for the benefit of any political party, or 

(c) for any political purpose to any individual or body. 

27.  Budget.—(1)  In  respect  of  every  financial  year,  budget  (annual  financial  statement)  of  the 
estimated receipts and expenditure of the Committee for the year shall be placed before the Committee 
and duly passed. 

(2) No moneys out of the Gurdwara Fund shall be appropriated except as passed and approved by the 

Committee. 

28. Maintenance of accounts.—(1) The Committee shall maintain proper accounts showing receipts 

on account of and expenditure out of Gurdwara Fund. 

(2) At the end of each calendar month, a statement of income and expenditure relating to that month 
shall be prepared and placed before the Committee and it shall be pasted at prominent places outside all 
Gurdwaras; and a consolidated annual statement, showing income and expenditure relating to a financial 
year shall likewise be prepared and placed before the Committee and outside the Gurdwaras at the end of 
each financial year. 

10 

29. Audit of Accounts.—(1) The accounts of the Committee including those of the Gurdwaras, and 
Gurdwara property including educational and other charitable institutions administered by the Committee, 
shall  be  audited  by  one  or  more  auditors  duly  qualified  to  act  as  auditor  under  sub-section  (1)  of                
section 226 of the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) (hereinafter referred to as the auditor), who shall be 
appointed by the Committee within sixty days of the close of every financial year and shall receive such 
remuneration as the Committee may fix: 

Provided  that  the  first  appointment  of  auditors  shall  be  made  by  the  Committee  within  sixty  days 

from the date of its first meeting held under section 15. 

(2) For the purpose of any such audit and examination of accounts the auditors may, by a demand in 
writing,  require from  the Committee  or  any  office-bearer  or  member  or  employee  of  the  Committee  or 
any Gurdwara, educational or other institution of the Committee, the production before him of all books, 
deeds,  vouchers  and  all  other  documents  and  papers  which  he  deems  necessary,  and  may  require  any 
person  holding  or  accountable  for  any  such  books,  deeds,  vouchers,  documents  and  papers  to  appear 
before him at any audit and examination, to answer all questions which may be put to him with respect to 
the same or to prepare and submit any further statement which such auditor may consider necessary. 

(3) Within thirty days after the audit and examination have been completed, the auditor shall submit a 

report to the Committee upon each account audited and examined. 

(4) The audit report shall be published in, at least two daily papers of Delhi (one in English and one in 

Punjabi) as well as in Gurdwara Journal, if any, within thirty days of its receipt. 

(5) The report of the auditor shall, among other matters, specify all items of expenditure which in his 
opinion are illegal, irregular or improper, all cases of failure of recoveries of money or property due to the 
Committee,  all  instances  of  loss  or  wasteful  expenditure  of  money  or  property  due  to  negligence  or 
misconduct  and  all  instances  in  which  any  money  or  property  has  been  devoted  to  any  purpose  not 
authorised by this Act. 

30.  Consideration  of  the  auditor’s  report  by  the  Committee.—The  Committee,  in  meeting  next 
following the date of receipt of the auditor’s report, shall consider such report and satisfy itself that no 
expenditure shown therein has been incurred otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of this Act 
and shall pass such orders as are, in its opinion, necessary and proper to rectify the illegal, unauthorised or 
improper expenditure and may also pass such further orders upon the report, as it may deem proper: 

Provided that if the next meeting falls on a day earlier than two months after the receipt of the report 
it may be considered in the meeting next following which shall be convened before the expiry of a period 
of three months from the date of receipt of the said report. 

PART V 

SETTLEMENT OF ELECTIONS AND OTHER DISPUTES 

31. Election disputes, electoral offences, etc.—The provisions of sections 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 
23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29 and 30 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957 (66 of 1957), shall  mutatis 
mutandis apply, subject to such modifications as the Central Government may by order direct, in relation 
to settlement of disputes regarding elections, corrupt practices and electoral offences in respect of election 
or co-option of members of the Committee. 

32. Jurisdiction of District Court in other matters.—The Court of the District Judge in Delhi shall 

also have jurisdiction in respect of the following matters, namely:— 

1* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

(c)  Petitions  regarding  complaints,  irregularities,  breach  of  trust,  mismanagement  in  any 
Gurdwara,  educational  or  other  institutions  against  any  member,  office-bearer  or  officer  or  other 
employee of the Committee. 

(d)  Petitions  arising  out  of  any  type  of  disputes  between  the  Committee  and  its  employees 

including past employees. 

1. Clauses (a) and (b) omitted by Act 46 of 1974, s. 5 (w.e.f. 23-9-1974).  

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
(e)  Applications  regarding  failure  of  publication  of,  or  non-implementation  or non-clearance  of 

the objections raised in, any annual report of the auditors of the Committee. 

33. Appeals.—(1) Any person aggrieved by an order passed by the District Judge may, within sixty 
days of the order, prefer an appeal to the High Court at Delhi and the orders of the High Court on such 
appeal shall be final and conclusive. 

(2) The provisions of sections 5 and 12 of the Limitation Act, 1963 (36 of 1963), shall, so far as may 

be, apply to appeals under this section. 

PART VI 

MISCELANEOUS 

34. Procedure for affiliation of local Gurdwaras.—(1) A registered Singh Sabha may, in relation to 
any local Gurdwara under its control, decide by a resolution adopted by three-fourth majority of its total 
membership for affiliating that local Gurdwara to the Committee and if the Committee consents thereto, 
the said local Gurdwara shall be deemed to be affiliated to the Committee. 

(2) All assets and liabilities of the local Gurdwara so affiliated and of the registered Singh Sabha shall 

thereafter vest in the Committee. 

35.  Act  not  to  affect  rites  and  practices  of  Sikh  religion.—Nothing  contained  in  this  Act  or  any 

other law for the time being in force shall— 

(a) save as otherwise expressly provided in this Act or the rules or regulations made thereunder, 
affect any honour, emolument or perquisite to which any person is entitled by custom or otherwise in 
any Gurdwara; 

(b)  authorise  any  interference  with  the  religious  or  spiritual  functions  performed  in  any 

Gurdwara. 

36.  Members,  officers  and  other  employees  to  be  public  servants.—Every  member  of  the 
Committee, the Executive Board, or any sub-committee, the Director Gurdwara Elections and every other 
officer  and  employee  of  the  Committee  shall  be  deemed  to  be  a  public  servant  within  the  meaning  of 
section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860). 

37.  Salary,  etc.,  of  the  Director  Gurdwara  Elections  to  be  defrayed  out  of  the  Consolidated 
Fund of India in the first instance.—(1) The salaries and allowances payable to the Director Gurdwara 
Elections or to the officers and other employees engaged for the  conduct of elections to the Committee, 
shall be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund of India in the first instance, but shall be recoverable from 
the Committee by debit to the Gurdwara Fund after the close of each financial year. 

(2)  Any  sum  due  to  the  Central  Government  under  sub-section  (1)  shall,  if  not  paid  within  three 

months after the demand has been made, be recoverable as arrears of land revenue. 

38. Protection of action taken.—No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against any 
member of the Committee, the Executive Board or any sub-committee, the Director Gurdwara Elections 
or any other officer or employee of the Committee for anything which is in good faith done or intended to 
be done under this Act or any rule or regulation made thereunder. 

39. Power to make rules.—(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, 

make rules to carry out the purposes of this Act. 

(2)  In  particular,  and  without  prejudice  to  the  generality  of  the  foregoing  power,  such  rules  may 

provide for or regulate all or any of the following matters, namely:— 

(a) the manner in which a declaration for the purpose of clause (n) of section 2 shall be made; 
1[(aa) the manner and the criterion for deciding whether a candidate for election as a member of 

the Committee is able to read and write Gurmukhi;] 

1. Ins. by Act 46 of 1974, s. 6 (w.e.f. 23-9-1974). 

12 

                                                           
(b) the particulars to be entered in the electoral rolls; 

(c) the preliminary publication of electoral rolls; 

(d) the manner in which and the time within which claims and objections as to entries in electoral 

rolls may be preferred; 

(e) the manner in which notices of claims or objections shall be published; 

(f) the place, date and time at which claims or objections shall be heard and the manner in which 

claims or objections shall be heard and disposed of; 

(g) the final publication of electoral rolls; 

(h) the revision and correction of electoral rolls and inclusion of names therein; 

(i)  the  appointment  of  returning  officers,  assistant  returning  Officers,  Presiding  officers  and 

polling officers for the conduct of elections; 

(j)  the  nomination  of  candidates,  form  of  nomination  papers,  objections  to  nominations  and 

scrutiny of nominations; 

(k)  the  deposits  to  be  made  by  candidates,  time  and  manner  of  making  such  deposits  and  the 
circumstances  under  which  such  deposits  may  be  refunded  to  candidates  or  forfeited  to  the 
Committee; 

(l) the withdrawal of candidatures; 

(m) the appointment of agents of candidates; 

(n) the procedure in contested and uncontested elections; 

(o)  the  date,  time  and  place  for  poll  and  other  matters  relating  to  the  conduct  of  elections 

including— 

(i) the appointment of polling stations for each ward, 

(ii) the hours during which the polling station shall be kept open for the casting of votes, 

(iii) the printing and issue of ballot papers, 

(iv) the checking of voters by reference to the electoral roll, 

(v) the marking with indelible ink of the left forefinger or any other finger or limb of the voter 
and prohibition of the delivery of any ballot paper to any person if at the time such person applies 
for such paper he has already such mark so as to prevent personation of voters, 

(vi) the manner in which votes are to be given and in particular in the case of illiterate voters 

or of voters under physical or other disability, 

(vii) the procedure to be followed in respect of challenging votes and tendered votes, 

(viii) the scrutiny of votes, counting of votes, the declaration of the results and the procedure 
in case of equality of votes or in the event of a member being elected to represent more than one 
ward, 

(ix) the custody and disposal of papers relating to elections, 

(x) the suspension of polls in case of any interruption by riot, violence or any other sufficient 

cause and the holding of a fresh poll, 

(xi) the holding of a fresh poll in the case of destruction of, or tampering with, ballot boxes 

before the count, 

(xii) the countermanding of the poll in the case of the death of a candidate before the poll; 

(p) the fee to be paid on an election petition; 

(q) the terms and conditions of service of the Director Gurdwara Elections; 

13 

(r) the procedure for the election of  pro tempore Chairman under sub-section (4) of section 15, 

and of the President and other office-bearers and members of the Executive Board under section 16; 

(s) any other matter in respect of which the Central Government deems it necessary to make rules 
under this section or in respect of which this Act makes no provision or makes insufficient provision 
and provision is, in the opinion of the Central Government, necessary; 

(t) the  manner in  which  results  of election  or  co-option  of  members  of the  Committee  shall  be 
published, or the orders made under the rules shall be widely made known by affixing copies thereof 
in conspicuous public places, by publishing the same by beat of drum or by advertisement in local 
newspapers. 

(3) In making any rule under this section the Central Government may provide that any contravention 
thereof shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine or 
with both. 

(4) All rules made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be, after they are made, before each 
House of Parliament while it is in session for a total period of thirty days, which may be comprised in one 
session  or  in  1[two  or  more  successive  sessions,  and  if,  before  the  expiry  of  the  session  immediately 
following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid,] both Houses agree in making any modification 
in the rules or both Houses agree that the rules should not be made, the rules shall thereafter have effect 
only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that any such modification 
or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under those rules. 

40.  Power  of  Committee  to  make  regulations.—(1)  The  Committee  may  make  regulations  not 
inconsistent  with  the  provisions  of  this  Act  or  the  rules  made  thereunder  for  carrying  out  its  functions 
under this Act. 

(2)  In  particular,  and  without  prejudice  to  the  generality  of  the  foregoing  powers,  such  regulations 

may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:— 

2* 

* 

* 

* 

* 

(b)  fees  and  allowances  to  which  office-bearers  and  other  members  of  the  Executive  Board  or 
other members of the Committee or of a sub-committee shall be entitled for attending meetings or any 
other work of the Executive Board, Committee or sub-committee respectively; 

(c) the periods of interval at which meetings of the Executive Board shall be held, the manner in 
which meetings of the Committee or the Executive Board or any sub-committee shall be convened, 
the  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business  thereat  and  the  rules  of  procedure  to  be  followed  for 
transaction of business at meetings of the Committee, the Executive Board or any sub-committee; 

(d)  the  manner  in  which  a  majority  decision  of  the  Executive  Board  shall  be  obtained  by 

circulation to its office-bearers and members of any matter requiring decision; 

(e) the matters in respect of which powers may be exercised or duties performed by the President 
or other office-bearers of the Executive Board or by any officer or other employee of the Committee; 

(f)  the  terms  and  conditions  of  service  of  officers  and  other  employees  of  the  Committee 
including  recruitment,  transfer,  fixation  of  seniority,  promotion  of,  and  disciplinary  action  or 
punishment against, such officers and other employees; 

(g)  any  other  functions  or  religious  or  charitable  acts  which,  in  addition  to  those  specified  in 
section 24, may be performed or done by the Committee, and the conditions and restrictions subject 
to which those functions or acts shall be performed or done; 

(h)  the  manner  in  which  cash  or  other  moneys  of  the  Gurdwara  Fund  shall  be  deposited  or 

invested; 

(i) the form in which the budget of the Committee shall be presented; 

1. Subs. by Act 46 of 1974, s. 6, for certain words (w.e.f. 23-9-1974). 
2. Clause (a) omitted by s. 7, ibid. (w.e.f. 23-9-1974).  

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                           
(j) the form in which the accounts of the Committee shall be maintained and the publication of 

such accounts; 

(k) the manner in which any regulations or orders made thereunder shall be published or widely 
made known by affixing copies thereof in conspicuous public places, by publishing the same by beat 
of drum or by advertisement in local newspapers; 

(l) any other matter which has to be, or may be, prescribed. 

1[(3) Every regulation made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before 
each House of Parliament while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be comprised 
in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session immediately 
following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in making any modification 
in  the  regulation  or  both  Houses  agree  that  the  regulation  should  not  be  made,  the  regulation  shall 
thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so, however, that 
any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done 
under that regulation.] 

41. Repeal and Saving.—(1) As from the date of the establishment of the Committee, the Delhi Sikh 

Gurdwaras (Management) Act, 1971 (24 of 1971), shall stand repealed. 

(2) Notwithstanding such repeal,— 

(a) any appointment, notification, order or rule made or issued under the said Act shall, in so far 
as it is not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, continue in force and be deemed to have been 
made or issued under the provisions of this Act unless and until it is superseded by any appointment, 
notification, order or rule made or issued under the said provisions; 

(b)  all  budget  estimates  made,  all  obligations  and  liabilities  incurred,  all  contracts  entered  into 
and all matters and things engaged to be done by, with or for the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Board shall be 
deemed  to  have  been  made,  incurred,  entered  into  or  engaged  to  be  done  by,  with  or  for  the 
Committee under the provisions of this Act; 

(c)  all  Gurdwara  property,  movable  and  immovable  and  all  interests  of  whatsoever  nature  and 
kind therein vested in, belonging or due to, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Board, immediately before such 
establishment, shall, with all rights, powers and privileges of whatsoever description, used, enjoyed or 
possessed by the Board, vest in the Committee; 

(d) all  sums  of  money  including  rents  due  to the  Board  immediately  before such  establishment 

shall be deemed to be due to the Committee; 

(e)  all  suits  and  other  legal  proceedings  instituted  or  which  might  have  been  instituted  by  or 

against the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Board may be continued or instituted by or against the Committee; 

(f) any will deed or other instrument which contains any bequest, gifts or trusts in favour of the 
Board shall as from such establishment, be construed as if the Committee were therein named instead 
of the said Board. 

1. Ins. by Act 4 of 1986, s. 2 and the Schedule (w.e.f. 15-5-1986). 

15 

 
 
                                                           
THE SCHEDULE 

[See section 15(3)] 

FORM OF OATH 

I,  AB,  having  been  elected  (or  co-opted)  a  member  of  the  Delhi  Sikh  Gurdwara  Management 
Committee  do  swear  in  the  presence  of  Sri  Guru  Granth  Sahib  that  I  will  faithfully,  honestly  and 
conscientiously discharge the duty upon which I am about to enter in the best interest of the Sikh religion. 

16 

 
