‘Can women availing beauty services vote’

AMRITSAR: The Sehajdhari Sikh Party (SSP) has raised a concern regarding Sikh women who avail beauty parlour services like haircuts, waxing and facial hair removal and questioned whether they will remain eligible to vote and be registered as voters for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) elections.
It has raised the issue after Gurdwara Election Commission chief commissioner Justice S S Saron wrote a letter to the Punjab government regarding the preparation of electoral rolls for SGPC elections.
According to the letter, a Sikh voter should be above 21 years, maintain unshorn hair and refrain from consuming tobacco or liquor. The criteria have sparked debate and raised concerns about inclusivity and the potential exclusion of Sikh women who avail beauty parlour services.
SSP president Paramjit Singh Ranu said sehajdhari (someone who evolved slowly) Sikhs who meet the aforementioned criteria could be registered as voters for the SGPC elections. But, regarding the complexities and uncertainties surrounding voter eligibility, he said, “It is unclear whether these Sikh women who remove their hair, including facial hair, can be registered as voters or not. This omission in the letter has raised concerns and requires further clarification.”
Ranu said the matter demands urgent attention and decisive action. Sikh women should not be denied their fundamental right to vote based on personal grooming choices but at the same time, sehajdhari Sikhs should also not be deprived from voting for Sikh body.
Sikh social activist Kiran Bedi said it was unjust to prohibit Sikh women from voting for the Sikh body based solely on their grooming preferences. “I am of the view that 95% of Sikh women avail beauty parlour services such as facials, eyebrows, waxing and haircuts, which have become essential in today's times to enhance one’s appearance.”