Punjab Assembly Passes Bill With Life Imprisonment Provisions Against Acts of Sacrilege
The Punjab Legislative Assembly passed a Bill against acts of sacrilege, prescribing life imprisonment and fines up to ₹25 lakh for desecration of religious scriptures. The Bill mandates swift investigation, makes sacrilege offences non-bailable, and ensures strict punishment. CM Bhagwant Mann presented it as a key legislative achievement. The SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee) called for its effective implementation. The Bill is seen as significant in Punjab's political context where sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib had triggered major protests in 2015.
Key Facts & Details
7 points- 1Punjab Assembly passes sacrilege Bill — life imprisonment and fine up to ₹25 lakh
- 2Offences made non-bailable; swift investigation mandatory
- 3SGPC calls for effective implementation
Deep Dive
- +The 2015 Guru Granth Sahib sacrilege incidents in Punjab led to widespread protests and political fallout
- +SGPC manages historical Sikh gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh
- +Punjab is the only state under AAP governance (as of April 2026)
- +Blasphemy laws differ across Indian states; this is a state subject
Exam Focus
Likely MCQ: SGPC is associated with the management of which religious institutions? → Answer: Sikh Gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh
Related Topics
Exam Relevance & Angle
Polity: State legislation, religious freedom, and Punjab's political context.
Target Exams
Background & Context
SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee) is the apex body that manages historical Sikh shrines (Gurdwaras) in Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. It was established under the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925 and is often called the 'mini-parliament of the Sikhs'. The SGPC's jurisdiction was extended to Takht Sri Hazur Sahib (Maharashtra) through the Nanded Gurdwara Act.
Punjab's legislative history on sacrilege:
- 2015 sacrilege incidents: Torn pages of Guru Granth Sahib were found in Faridkot. Led to police firing on protesters (Behbal Kalan), killing 2. This became a major political controversy that contributed to the SAD-BJP government's defeat in 2017.
- Previous Congres-led Punjab govt had passed anti-sacrilege amendments in 2018 but the President had withheld assent.
- The AAP government's Bill is designed to address long-standing demands.
Key constitutional provision: Law and Order is a State subject under List II of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. States can legislate on crime and punishment within their jurisdiction.
Related GK Concepts
Must KnowTest Yourself
1 / 3SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee) was established under which Act?
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