The five-member Akal Takht panel, established to oversee the election of new leadership for the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), issued a public appeal on Sunday morning, urging Punjabis to gather at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on March 18 to enroll as members of the party.
Manpreet Ayali, a member of the panel, stated that the membership drive would officially commence on Tuesday. The panel, which also includes Gurpartap Wadala, Santa Umaidpuri, Satwant Kaur, and Iqbal Jhunda, has called upon Sikhs, Punjabis, and all supporters of the Panth to participate in the initiative.
Ayali emphasised that the enrollment process would begin at 11 am following an ‘ardaas’ at the revered shrine.
Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal, which has been at odds with the Akal Takht over this issue, had already launched its membership drive on January 20. In response to the panel’s initiative, SAD spokesperson Daljit Cheema had previously warned of potential legal repercussions if a “parallel” membership drive was carried out under the party’s name.
He asserted that the SAD is a registered political entity with a constitution, financial accounts, and records officially recognised by the Election Commission of India. He further stated that, as per the party’s constitution, no unauthorised individual or group could induct members under the SAD’s banner, deeming any such attempt illegitimate.
The SAD, which plans to follow up its membership drive with an organisational election on March 18, has claimed that over 32 lakh individuals have already enrolled as members of the party.
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