MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
(Legislative Department)
New Delhi, the 6th May, 2016/Vaisakha 16, 1938 (Saka)
The following Act of Parliament received the assent of the President on the 5th May, 2016, and is hereby published for general information:—
THE SIKH GURDWARAS (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2016
NO. 21 OF 2016
[5th May, 2016.]
An Act further to amend the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Sixty-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follow:—
Short title and commencement.
1. (1) This Act may be called the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Act, 2016. (2) It shall be deemed to have come into force from 8th October, 2003.
Amendment of section 49
2. In the Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 (Punjab Act VIII of 1925 ) (hereinafter referred to as the principal Act), in section 49, for the proviso, the following proviso shall be substituted, namely:—
“Provided that no person shall be registered as an elector who—
(a) trims or shaves his beard or keshas;
(b) smokes; and
(c) takes alcoholic drinks.”.
Amendment of section 92.
3. In section 92 of the principal Act, for the proviso, the following proviso shall be substituted, namely:—
“Provided that no person shall be registered as an elector who—
(a) trims or shaves his beard or keshas;
(b) smokes; and
(c) takes alcoholic drinks.”.
DR. G. NARAYANA RAJU, Secretary to the Govt. of India.
Good Initiative!!
But there is scope for litigation due to Legal wording. Law makers should show the exact intention of the law behind the amendment to the provision.
Words in Bracket would be the correct (in my opinion)
” “Provided that no person shall be registered as an elector who—
(a) trims or shaves his beard or keshas;
(b) smokes; (consumes any type of tobbacco and tobbacco related products in any form) (as consumption of tobacco and related products are not allowed in Sikhism) and
(c) takes alcoholic drinks.( Consumes any type of alcoholic substance or any other goods or substance in any form which causes intoxication)( these products are also not allowed in Sikhism) ( Because we know that Punjab State and nearby states are fighting for Nasha Mukti since long) ”.