AMRITSAR, April 28 -- As Sikh sections are divided over the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act-2026, Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj has taken notice of the objections being raised over the Act by a section of the community. He called a meeting of Sikh bodies, lawyers and scholars on May 3 to deliberate over it, taking a different stand from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Following a 560-day protest by Sikh activist Gurjit Singh Khalsa, the Punjab assembly enacted the Act to address sacrilege incidents. The new legislation proposes a minimum of seven-year imprisonment, extendable to life for criminal conspiracies intended to disrupt communal harmony, along with fines of up to Rs.25 lakh. The Punjab assembly passed the Bill on April 13 and governor Gulab Chand Kataria gave his assent on April 19. While SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami hailed the law, the Akal Takht jathedar objected to the portion that issues directions for the SGPC. To address objections from Sikh circles, including SGPC member Kiranjot Kaur, Gargaj has convened a meeting at Bhai Gurdas Hall near Golden Temple. According to sources, letters have been sent to Sikh body representatives, scholars, and legal experts to discuss these concerns. While addressing Khalsa Foundation Day (Baisakhi) event at Takht Kesgarh Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib, the jathedar said, "If anyone decides the place of printing of Guru Granth Sahib and asks to give details of the printing to the government, such kind of detail cannot be shared with the government. Nor will the panth ever accept this provision." The Act seeks to insert a section in the 2008 Act mandating the SGPC to maintain a central register of "saroops," allotting each a unique identification number, along with the details of printing, storage, distribution and supply. This information will be made accessible on the SGPC's official website. The second agenda item involves deliberating the withdrawal of Balwant Singh Rajoana's mercy plea. SGPC members and SAD (Punar Surjit) leaders filed a complaint with Akal Takht's acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj against SAD chief Sukhbir Badal. They accused the SAD president of calling its December 2, 2024, decree a "conspiracy." While addressing a party rally in Budhlada on April 6, Sukhbir had said, "Their sole purpose was to erase the name of Badal. They wanted to expel me from politics. They went to conspire and asked me to sit outside Sri Darbar Sahib with the condition that there would be no security with me..."...