Anti-sacrilege law: SGPC suspends Guru Granth Sahib distribution till May 20

Amritsar: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has suspended the services of providing ‘saroops' (scriptures) of the Guru Granth Sahib to the community and gurdwaras until May 20, in view of changes to rules governing their publication and distribution.The move follows Punjab govt's passage of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026. Also, there will be no distribution of the holy book from Takht Sahibs and other historic gurdwaras anymore.SGPC secretary Balwinder Singh Kahlwan said the committee, through its publication department at Gurdwara Sri Ramsar Sahib, prints the Guru Granth Sahib with ‘maryada' (code of conduct) and supplies it globally based on demand. The process involves verification by preachers of SGPC's dharam prachar committee and recommendations from an SGPC member.He said while records of all saroops were maintained earlier, a revised system with new guidelines is being introduced. Till the policy is implemented, no saroops will be issued; distribution will resume after May 20.As part of the overhaul, SGPC is developing a digital-tracking system. Details of every saroop issued, including recipient identity, photographs and location, will be recorded and uploaded online.Printing will now be strictly demand-based, and applicants may face waiting periods. Each recipient will receive a certificate, with a duplicate retained by SGPC, and a permanent digital record stored on its servers with a unique ID.The certificate will also outline guidelines on proper care and ‘satkar' (respect) of the Guru Granth Sahib. Recipients will be required to formally pledge responsibility.Reiterating a 2013 directive of the Akal Takht, Kahlwan said saroops will not be provided for akhand path at graves, memorials, or ancestral shrines. Gurdwara committees will be held accountable for ensuring compliance. He added the process will now be centralised, with all saroops supplied only from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Bhavan at Gurdwara Sri Ramsar Sahib, Amritsar. Distribution from Takht Sahibs and other historic gurdwaras will cease.