Gurdaspur/Amritsar, June 18
The Shiromani Akali Dal today suffered a major setback when the candidature of two former Akali ministers, Mr Sucha Singh Langah and Mr Sewa Singh Sekhwan, and Mr Alwinder Pal Singh Pakhoke, working President, SGPC, for the SGPC elections was rejected by the respective Deputy Commissioners-cum-District Returning Officers of Amritsar and Gurdaspur under Section 45 of the Sikh Gurdwara Act, 1925 by declaring them “defaulters”.

However, the Deputy Commissioner-cum-district Returning Officer, Kapurthala, Mr Rakesh Kumar Verma, rejected the petition of Mr Mohan Singh Bal, who had challenged the candidature of Bibi Jagir Kaur, a former SGPC President.

The candidature of Mr Pakhoke, Mr Langah and Mr Sekhwan was cancelled as huge amounts were outstanding against their wards who had got admission in the SGPC-run Guru Ram Dass Institute of Medical Sciences and Dental College under the NRI quota.

However, Mr Pakhoke, Mr Langah and Mr Sekhwan said they would move the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the “arbitrary decisions” pronounced by the respective district returning officers.

They alleged that their candidature was cancelled even though the SGPC secretary had given them no-dues certificates.

Mr Langah alleged that the state government had resorted to direct interference in Sikh affairs, going by the cancellation of their candidature. He alleged that Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, PWD Minister, had reached Gurdaspur in a state government chopper with a view to put pressure on the Deputy Commissioner in this regard.