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Punjab Assembly Constitutes 15-Member Panel to Review Anti-Sacrilege Bill

Representatives from all parties alongside the Advocate General gather stakeholder feedback before reporting back on penalties ranging from 10-year terms to life imprisonment

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The 15-member panel will be headed by president of the Chief Khalsa Diwan and AAP MLA from Amritsar South Inderbir Singh Nijjar. (HT Photo)

Overview

  • Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on July 19 appointed a 15-member panel led by AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar to examine the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025.
  • The group includes MLAs from AAP, Congress, BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal, with Punjab’s Advocate General as an ex-officio member.
  • The panel will hold consultations with religious bodies, legal experts and community organisations and must submit recommendations within six months.
  • Introduced on July 14, the draft law proposes 10-year to life sentences and fines up to ₹10 lakh for sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Bible or Quran.
  • It further calls for non-bailable, parole-ineligible punishments and the establishment of special fast-track courts to expedite sacrilege cases.