Gurdwara management committee goes to polls

Elections to 46 seats held on Sunday; records 45% polling

The elections for 46 seats of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) were held on Sunday. Security for the elections was beefed up this time as there were threats that the polls would be rigged in 63 wards.

On Friday, six cartons of liquor were seized from near a boundary wall connecting a school and Gurdwara in Vivek Vihar. The police had suspected that the liquor had been placed there to spoil the prospects of one of the candidates contesting the elections.

Over 1 lakh voters

Held every four years, this time the election recorded 45.6% voting. The DSGMC manages 12 historic gurdwaras, educational institutions, hospitals, old age homes, libraries and other charitable institutions. The DSGMC comprises 51 members — one each for 46 wards and five nominated members.

“Around 1,75,543 members of the community voted. The polling percentages among male and female voters were 45.61% and 45.92% respectively,” said an official of the Directorate of Gurdwara Elections.

Cash-rich body

While Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) led by Manjinder Singh Sirsa hopes to return to power, the main opposition Akali Dal (Delhi) wants to wrest control of the cash-rich body, the annual budget of which comes to around ₹100 crore. This time the gurdwara elections are crucial as, political pundits say, the results will reflect the mood of Punjab. Also, the Aam Aadmi Party, which contested the Punjab’s Assembly elections, pulled out of the gurdwara polls last week saying that “it is a place of worship and not politics”.

“Gurdwara elections will say a lot about the mood in Punjab. It will reflect on SAD Badal, which is facing anti-incumbency,” said SAD Delhi member. This time, there were five groups in the fray.

The counting of votes will take place on March 1 at five designated locations.