Chandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday ruled that Sikhs were not a minority community in seeking admission to Sikh institutions run by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee in Punjab.

The Court declared as ultra vires of the Constitution the notification issued by the Punjab Government declaring SGPC-run Sikh institutions as minority institutions.

Under the notification, the institutions were permitted to reserve 50 per cent seats for members of the Sikh community.

A Division Bench, comprising Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel and Justice Ajay Lamba, gave the ruling on a petition filed by one Sahil Mittal, a resident of Sangrur district.

It observed there was no material or even a grievance that as a group the Sikhs apprehended deprivation of their religious, cultural or educational rights in Punjab from any other community which may be in majority and which may gain political power.

The petitioner, who had sought admission in an SGPC-run institution but was denied the same, contended as per census figures, Sikhs were in a majority in Punjab.

Reacting to the ruling, Media Advisor to Chief Minister, Harcharan Bains, said the State would legally contest the order. PTI

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