Makkar re-elected SGPC president
November 25th, 2009 - 6:22 pm ICT by IANSAmritsar, Nov 25 (IANS) Avtar Singh Makkar was elected president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for the fifth time here Wednesday.
Makkar was supported by the Akali Dal, the ruling party in Punjab, and polled 139 votes while 25 votes went against him.
He has become the 44th president of the SGPC, the mini-parliament of Sikh religion, founded in 1920.
The election was held at the SGPC headquarters here located in the Golden Temple complex.
The SGPC manages gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and is the most powerful body in the Sikh politico-religious set up.
The holiest of Sikh shrines, Harmandar Sahib (popularly called Golden Temple), here is also managed by the SGPC.
The organization has an annual budget of nearly Rs.4.5 billion (Rs.450 crore), much of which comes through offerings at the gurdwaras.
The control of gurdwaras and the finances make SGPC a powerful body, especially among Sikh masses - the dominant community in Punjab.
With his re-election, Makkar has become only the second SGPC president to be re-elected five times or more. Late Gurcharan Singh Tohra remained SGPC president for a record 27 years starting in 1973.
- Gurdwara committee polls slated for Sep 18 - Jul 28, 2011
- Badal seeks PM's intervention on Pakistan-based Sikh lawyer - Dec 21, 2009
- Fewer fireworks at Golden Temple this Diwali - Oct 26, 2011
- 'Headgear issue will be sorted out for Obama's Golden Temple visit' - Oct 19, 2010
- Keep away from Sikh religious matters, Badal tells Congress - Jun 24, 2010
- PM cancels Punjab trip, SGPC and Akalis upset - Nov 03, 2011
- When PM's no-show becomes an election issue (Punjab Newsletter) - Nov 05, 2011
- Security stepped up around Haryana gurdwaras - Sep 13, 2010
- Avtar Singh Makkar re-elected SGPC chief - Nov 16, 2010
- SGPC won't tolerate separate body in Haryana: Makkar - Aug 10, 2009
- Non-baptised Sikhs can vote in SGPC polls: Court - Dec 20, 2011
- SGPC general house opposes separate Haryana committee - Aug 14, 2009
- Slap murder charge if holy book is damaged: SGPC - Sep 29, 2011
- Haryana Sikh leader, 45 others sent to judicial custody - Sep 16, 2010
- Canadian PM to pay obeisance at Golden Temple - Nov 18, 2009
Tags: 44th president, akali dal, amritsar, avtar singh, budget, crore, fifth time, golden temple, haryana, himachal pradesh, offerings, parliament, punjab, religion, ruling party, sgpc, shiromani gurdwara, sikh shrines, tohra