Special Punjab Vidhan Sabha Session on April 13, announces Bhagwant Mann
Ravi Jakhu
Amritsar (Punjab), March 21, 2026:
Amritsar, March 21, 2026: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday announced that a special session of the Vidhan Sabha will be convened on April 13 to amend the ‘Jagt Jyot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008’ and introduce a stricter law against sacrilege (‘beadbi’).
The announcement came after a key meeting with members of the Sant Samaj and religious leaders in Amritsar. The Chief Minister said the proposed law will include stringent punishment, heavy fines, and even confiscation of property for those found guilty. It will also cover offences committed through digital content.
Mann asserted a zero-tolerance stance, stating that no one involved in sacrilege will be spared. He added that the draft legislation is being prepared in consultation with religious bodies and legal experts, with inputs from eminent lawyers across the country.
The Chief Minister said the session is being convened on the occasion of Khalsa Sajna Diwas and will aim to bring a comprehensive legal framework to prevent desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib and other religious texts.
Inviting representatives from various sects, including Taksals, Nihang groups, Udasi and Nirmala sects, Kar Seva organisations, Ragis, and Kathavachaks, Mann urged them to attend the session and witness the passage of what he termed a “historic legislation.”
He also said that Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan and MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar will reach out to religious leaders to ensure wider participation.
Earlier, members of the Sant Samaj demanded speedy disposal of pending sacrilege cases and welcomed the government’s initiatives to honour Sikh heritage. The meeting concluded with a collective prayer (Ardas).