The Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008

(1) This Act may be called the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008. (2) It shall come into force at once.

(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires.- (aa) "Saroops of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib" means the holy scripture of the Sikhs, printed in any size or form and bound in one single volume, which is regarded as Word incarnate, the embodiment and presence manifest or spirit of the Ten Sikh Gurus; (ba) "custodian" means any individual, institution, or Gurdwara Committee to whom a Saroop of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth has been formally supplied and / or who is responsible for the protection of the Saroop(s) of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib and observance of prescribed Sikh Rehat Maryada; (b) "Deputy Commissioner" means an Officer-in-charge of a district, who is appointed as such by the State Government; (bb) "records" means all records maintained manually or electronically relating to the printing, publication, storage, distribution, and supply of the Saroop(s) of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib; "sacrilege of the Saroop(s) of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib" for the purposes of this Act means any wilful and deliberate act, committed with the intent of desecration by way of physical damaging, defacing, burning, tearing or theft of the Saroop(s) of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib or part thereof, or by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representations or through electronic means or otherwise, which is of such nature as to hurt the religious feelings of persons professing the Sikh faith; and (c) "Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee" means the Committee, named as such by the Board, constituted under the provisions of Part Third of the Sikh Gudwaras Act, 1925. (2) The words and expressions used in this Act, but not defined, shall have the same meaning as assigned to them in the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925.

(1) The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee or anybody authorised by it, shall print, publish, store, distribute and supply the Saroops of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib. (2) The intimation with regard to the volumes of the Saroops of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib whether finally printed or under process, existing at the time of the commencement of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008, with any person, shall be given by the person concerned in writing to the Deputy Commissioner within a period of fifteen days of coming into force of this Act. (3) On receipt of the intimation, referred to in sub-section (2), the Deputy Commissioner shall constitute a Committee, consisting of the following members to assess and determine the Bheta of the existing volumes of the Saroops of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib, namely:- (a) One member, to be nominated by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee; (b) One officer, who should be a Sikh, not below the rank of the Extra Assistant Commissioner, to be nominated by the Deputy Commissioner; (c) One person, who should be a Sikh, engaged in the business of printing and publication, to be nominated by the Deputy Commissioner; and (d) If a Sikh Officer or person of the categories mentioned in sub-clauses (b) and (c) above, is not available, then the Deputy Commissioner shall nominate another respectable Sikh Officer or person of any other local body or organisation. (4) The Committee, constituted under sub-section (3), shall assess and determine the Bheta of the volumes of the Saroops of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib referred to in sub-section (3) within a period of thirty days from the date of intimation, to be given under sub-section (2), and convey the same to the Deputy Commissioner, who shall further inform the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the person, who is in possession of those volumes. (5) The Bheta, so assessed and determined, shall be paid by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to the person concerned within a period of thirty days from the date of assessment and determination, made by the said Committee. Explanation: In this section, the term "Bheta" means the token consideration, received from any person by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee or anybody, authorized by it for distributing, providing or supplying the Saroops of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

(1) The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee shall maintain a Central Register containing details with regard to the record of printing, storage, distribution, and supply of the Saroops of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib. The register shall contain,- (a) Unique identification number of each Saroop of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib; (b) date of printing and publication; (c) date and place of supply; (d) place of storage; and (e) name and address of custodian. (2) The register or record shall be maintained in physical and electronic form which shall be available on the website of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. (3) The record shall be maintained and uploaded in the electronic form referred to in sub-section (2) within a period of forty-five days from the date of commencement of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026. The register or records referred to in sub-sections (1) and (2) shall be uploaded on a monthly basis thereafter: Provided that every such monthly update shall be duly certified by an officer authorised by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, and a record of such certification shall also be maintained.

(1) Every custodian receiving a Saroop of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib shall ensure,- (a) safe custody, protection from damage, misuse, or loss in any manner and observance of Sikh Rehat Maryada; and (b) immediate reporting of any incident involving damage, disappearance, or suspected sacrilege to the concerned police authorities and also to the concerned management authority.

No person, other than the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee or anybody authorised by it, shall print, publish, store, distribute and supply the Saroops of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib after the commencement of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008.

(1) The investigation in relation to offence(s) under this Act shall be completed as expeditiously as possible. (2) It shall be investigated by a police officer, not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police or Assistant Commissioner of Police, as the case may be.

(1) The offence(s) punishable under this Act shall be cognizable, non-bailable and non-compoundable. (2) The offence(s) punishable under this Act shall be triable by the Court of Sessions.

(1) Whosoever contravenes the provisions of this Act and rules framed thereunder, except the offence of sacrilege of the Saroop(s) of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib shall be punished with imprisonment for a term, which may extend to five years and with fine, which may extend to Rs. 10,00,000. (2) Any person who commits an offence of sacrilege of the Saroop(s) of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib under this Act shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than seven years but which may extend to twenty years, and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than Rs. 2,00,000 but which may extend to Rs. 10,00,000. (3) Any person who in criminal conspiracy commits an offence of sacrilege of the Saroop(s) of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib under this Act with the intention to disrupt peace or communal harmony shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend to imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than Rs. 5,00,000 but which may extend to Rs. 25,00,000. (4) Any person who abets the commission of an offence under this Act shall be liable to the same punishment as provided for the offence so abetted. (5) Any person who attempts to commit an offence under this Act shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be less than three years but which may extend to five years, and shall also be liable to fine which shall not be less than Rs. 1,00,000 but which may extend to Rs. 3,00,000.

No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the State Government or its officer or official in respect of anything, which is done in good faith or intended to be done in pursuance of the provisions of this Act.

The State Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, makes rules to carry out the purposes of this Act.

(1) The Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Ordinance, 2007(Punjab Ordinance No.9 of 2007), is hereby repealed. (2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken under the Ordinance, referred to in sub-section (1), shall be deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of this Act.