Candidates for the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections, 2017, were seen making last ditch efforts to woo voters in the national Capital on Friday, as campaigning drew to a close.
The 46-member DSGMC House is elected for four years. Polling for all the 46 constituencies will be held on Sunday. Coming just ahead of the municipal polls in Delhi, the gurdwara polls are important for Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
During the last elections held in 2013, SAD (Badal) had defeated SAD (Delhi), led by former DSGMC Chief Paramjit Singh Sarana. This time, five different groups are fielding their candidates: SAD unit headed by DSGMC President Manjit Singh GK, Paramjit Singh Sarna-led SAD (Delhi) that earlier controlled the DSGMC, Panthak Sewa Dal headed by AAP MLA Avtar Singh from Kalkaji, former Akal Takht Jathedar Bhai Ranjit Singh's Akal Sahai Welfare Society, and former Darbar Sahib Hazoori Ragi Beldev Singh Wadala's Sikh Sadbhawana Dal.
AAP is not taking part in the DSGMC polls this year but will be supporting the Panthak Sewa Dal, which has fielded 39 candidates. The main fight is between SAD (Badal) and SAD (Delhi), as both are fighting on all the 46 wards.
In all, there 335 candidates for 46 seats, including 184 Independents. The Directorate of Gurdwara Elections has set up around 560 polling stations throughout Delhi, and as many as 25 observers have also been appointed to observe the polls. Around 3,000 polling officials will be performing various duties.
Of the total 3,80,091 voters, 1,92,691 are men and 1,87,400 are women.
Delhi has nearly 3.75 lakh Sikhs. The DSGMC manages gurdwaras, and educational and social institutions associated with them, in the national Capital. The city has several gurdwaras of historical significance, including Gurdwara Rakabganj, Bangla Sahib, and Sis Ganj.
The election is held to manage nine historical gurdwaras, and schools, colleges, hospitals affiliated to them. The House has control over matters related to Sikhs, besides global connections and direct links with the Central government, with an annual budget of Rs 100 crore. Moreover, the DSGMC President is the leader of the Sikhs in the national Capital. Essentially, it is second only to the Amritsar-headquartered Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
Manjit Singh GK, who represents SAD (Badal) party and is the DSGMC president, told DNA: "We have a positive agenda for the elections. Let's see what happens."
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