New Delhi: As the counting for the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections is underway, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Badal is again on the way to secure a two-thirds majority. DSGMC has been under the control of the party for the past two tenures. However, in a major setback, Shiromani Akali Dal Badal's candidate Manjinder Singh has lost from Punjabi Bagh. He was defeated by Shiromani Akali Dal Delhi candidate Sardar Harvinder Singh Sarna by more than 500 votes.
The voting for the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) election was held on Sunday. However, the voter turnout remained low with only 37.27%. Out of a total of 3,42,065 voters, 1,27,472 people exercised their franchise. The low voter turnout could be attributed to Covid and Rakshabandhan.
The highest voting percentage was from the Punjabi Bagh ward, where a total voter turnout of 54.10 per cent was recorded, where a total of 3,819 people exercised their franchise. At the same time, the lowest voter turnout of 25.18 per cent was recorded in the Shyam Nagar area where a total of 1,911 people exercised their franchise.
In the elections, a total of 312 candidates are in the fray, whose fate will be decided by a total of 46 wards.
Shiromani Akali Dal is presently heading the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee under the chairmanship of Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
Earlier Sardar Manjit Singh GK, from the same party was the president but resigned from the post after all the allegations of corruption.
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The major players include Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) which has fielded candidates from all 46 wards. Manjit Singh GK-led Jago party has fielded 41 candidates while Akali Dali (Delhi) headed by Paramjit Singh Sarna is contesting in 45 wards.
Both Manjit Singh and Sarna are former presidents of DSGMC.
In the previous elections held in 2017, SAD came to control the DSGMC by winning 35 wards.
The DSGMC controls Sikh shrines in the city, including Rakabganj and Bangla Sahib Gurudwaras as well as various academic institutions and hospitals. The polls are held after every four years.
The DSGMC is a membered body, of which 46 are directly elected from 46 wards in Delhi and the rest of the members are appointed from different seats of Sikh religion and groups.
