Vidhi Codex

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1971

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1971

General197142 sections6 chapters

The Delhi Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1971, provides a legal framework for managing Sikh shrines and their properties within Delhi. It applies to the city’s Sikh community, establishing a Management Committee of elected and co-opted members to oversee religious rites, charitable kitchens, and educational institutions. This Act matters because it empowers Sikhs to democratically govern their spiritual and social affairs while ensuring financial transparency through mandatory audits and government-supervised elections. By requiring leaders to uphold strict religious standards, it ensures that resources are used for community uplift and the preservation of tradition.

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Part I PRELIMINARY

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

Part II THE COMMITTEE

  1. 3Incorporation of the Committee.
  2. 4Composition of the Committee.
  3. 5Term of office.
  4. 6Delimitation of wards.
  5. 7Electoral roll.
  6. 8Qualifications of elector.
  7. 9Right to vote.
  8. 10Qualifications of member.
  9. 11Elections.
  10. 12Publication of results.
  11. 13Director Gurdwara Elections.
  12. 14First meeting of the elected members.
  13. 15First meeting of the Committee.
  14. 16Election of office bearers.
  15. 16APower to convene another meeting for election of office-bearers.
  16. 17Vacation, resignation and removal of members and office-bearers.
  17. 18Fees and allowances of members.
  18. 19Meetings of the Committee and the Executive Board.
  19. 20Sub-committees.
  20. 21Powers of the Executive Board and its office-bearers.
  21. 22Validity of acts of Committee, Executive Board or sub-committees not to be questioned by reason of vacancy, etc.
  22. 23Officers and other employees of the Committee.

Part III POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMITTEE

  1. 24Powers and functions of the Committee.

Part IV GURDWARA FUND, ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT

  1. 25Gurdwara Fund.
  2. 26Prohibition regarding making of contributions for political purposes.
  3. 27Budget.
  4. 28Maintenance of accounts.
  5. 29Audit of Accounts.
  6. 30Consideration of the auditor’s report by the Committee.

Part V SETTLEMENT OF ELECTIONS AND OTHER DISPUTES

  1. 31Election disputes, electoral offences etc.
  2. 32Jurisdiction of District Court in other matters.
  3. 33Appeals.

Part VI MISCELANEOUS

  1. 34Procedure for affiliation of local Gurdwaras.
  2. 35Act not to affect rites and practices of Sikh religion.
  3. 36Members, officers and other employees to be public servants.
  4. 37Salary, etc., of the Director Gurdwara Elections to be defrayed out of the Consolidated Fund of India in the first instance.
  5. 38Protection of action taken.
  6. 39Power to make rules.
  7. 40Power of Committee to make regulations.
  8. 41Repeal and Saving.

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