New Delhi: Punjab’s recently enacted anti-sacrilege legislation has come under fresh fire after the Akal Takht, the highest temporal authority of the Sikh community, on Monday (June 29) asked the Aam Aadmi Party-led state government to revise key provisions within a month and keep the law in abeyance until then. While reiterating its support for stringent punishment for acts of sacrilege involving the Guru Granth Sahib, the central holy scripture of Sikhism, the Takht said aspects of the law needed reconsideration to better reflect Sikh religious principles and traditions, reported The Hindu.The Takht argued the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, was ratified without sufficient consultation with Sikh religious institutions such as itself, the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Guru Khalsa Panth. The body asserted that legislations pertaining to Sikh doctrine should be framed only after a comprehensive engagement with the Sikh Panth.The Takht had first objected to what it termed as “objectionable clauses” in May, as previously reported by The Wire, giving the Punjab government 15 days to amend them. At the time, chief minister Bhagwant Mann had ruled out withdrawing the law, insisting that it had already received the govenor’s assent and would remain in force.Also read: Akal Takht Demands Removal of ‘Objectionable Clauses’ From Punjab’s New Anti-Sacrilege Law, CM Mann Refuses to BudgeThe latest directive came after a meeting in Amritsar attended by 87 Sikh legislators from across political parties, as well as ministers from the Punjab government. The hearing was presided over by Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj, Takht Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Tek Singh, Granthi Giani Baljeet Singh, Giani Keval Singh and Giani Mangal Singh.According to The Hindu, Gargajj observed that several legislators acknowledged they had not fully examined the contents of the bill before it was unanimously passed by the assembly. He said the admissions evidenced that the law was passed without adequate deliberation on a deeply sensitive religious issue.Economic Times reported that among the objections raised were provisions concerning Sikh religious terminology, replacing the word “Bir” with “Swaroop“; provisions relating to individuals responsible for the care of the Guru Granth Sahib; and the proposal to assign unique identification numbers to copies of the holy scripture. The Takht maintained that while the state may prescribe criminal penalties for sacrilege, questions about Sikh religious practices and terminology fall within the community’s religious jurisdiction.The body also proposed additional provisions to strengthen accountability in cases of organised sacrilege. It recommended that if an act of desecration is allegedly carried out by a follower of an anti-Sikh dera (group) as part of a conspiracy, legal proceedings such as first information reports should also extend to the head of the concerned dera. At the end of the meeting, per ET, MLAs raised their hands in support of the amendments delineated by Takht.Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the Takht’s recommendations would be formally conveyed through the speaker of the Punjab Assemble and examined by the government before any decision is taken. Meanwhile, the Takht has urged the government to not implement he legislation until the amendments have been considered.The legislation has remained contentious because victims’ families and Sikh organisations continue to await justice in the 2015 Bargari sacrilege cases and the subsequent police firing at Behbal Kalan. Critics have questioned the government’s decision to bring out new legislation while older investigations remain pending.The controversy had also drawn criticism from opposition parties with Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal leaders accusing the AAP of rushing the legislation without securing broader religious consensus.“It was disappointing to see that many MLAs did not even have proper information about the newly enacted law while passing it and many had not even read it. The chief minister’s misleading interpretation of the word ‘custodian’ has also been exposed. It would be good if the Punjab government withdraws the law and limits it to punishing those guilty of sacrilege, leaving the matter of maryada (code of conduct) to Sri Akal Takht Sahib,” said senior Akali Dal leader and former minister Daljit Cheema, as quoted by The Hindu.The anti-sacrilege law was passed on April 13, 2026, mandating life imprisonment for the accused. Although there appears to be broad agreement across political and religious actors regarding the imposition of severe punishments for acts of sacrilege, the debate has raised questions about who should have the power to determine issues about Sikh religious doctrine.