Punjab’s anti-sacrilege law faces constitutional challenge in High Court
A petition has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging the constitutional validity of Punjab’s newly notified anti-sacrilege law, which prescribes stringent punishments including life imprisonment for acts of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib.
Chandigarh: A petition has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, seeking quashing of the anti-sacrilege law brought by the Punjab government that proposes stricter punishment for any act of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib.
The petition, filed by Jalandhar-based resident Simranjeet Singh, is yet to be taken up for hearing.
The Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026 was unanimously passed by the Punjab assembly during a special session on April 13. Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria gave his assent to the bill on April 17.
The Punjab government on Monday notified the anti-sacrilege bill.
Among the grounds for challenging the constitutional validity of the anti-sacrilege law, the petitioner mentioned that the impugned Act creates criminal penalties, including life imprisonment under Section 5(3), which is a subject in the Concurrent List.
As these penalties are inconsistent with the existing Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Act required the assent of the President of India to be valid. The Gazette confirms that only the governor’s assent was obtained, rendering the entire Act procedurally void and unconstitutional, the petitioner contended.
The plea further stated that the Act provides an exclusive, high-penalty deterrent framework solely for the ‘Saroops’ (sacred scripture) of Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
“By excluding other religious scriptures, the State has failed the test of ‘Equality before Law’ and violated the basic structure of the Constitution’ Secularism,” read the plea.
The petitioner stated that Section 5(3) mandates life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit sacrilege with intent to disrupt peace.
“Equating a non-violent offence against religious sentiments with the punishment for murder is disproportionate and ‘manifestly arbitrary’ under Article 14,” the petitioner said.
The law proposes stricter punishments to deter incidents of ‘beadbi’ (sacrilege) and uphold the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Any person who commits sacrilege shall get a minimum of seven years of imprisonment, extendable up to 20 years, along with a fine of Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
Any person, who in criminal conspiracy, commits sacrilege with an intention to disrupt peace or communal harmony shall get a minimum of 10 years of imprisonment, extendable up to life imprisonment, along with a fine of Rs 5 lakh which may extend to Rs 25 lakh.
