Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj has written separate letters to Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Sikh MLAs and Sikh Cabinet ministers, asking them to uphold the stand of the Akal Takht on the Jagat Guru Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026 during the Punjab Assembly session beginning on August 3.The letters have been addressed to the Speaker and Sikh legislators and ministers who appeared before the Akal Takht on June 29 and assured that amendments would be made to the Act. The Jathedar reminded them of the commitment made at the Akal Takht and asked them to fulfil their religious responsibility when the legislation comes up for discussion in the Assembly.The Akal Takht has asked the Speaker and Sikh legislators to ensure that no further amendments to the Act are approved until the Punjab Government reaches a consensus with the Akal Takht and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on the issues raised over the Act.The letters asked the legislators to recognise their responsibility as Sikhs and persuade the government to amend the law in line with the concerns expressed by the Akal Takht.In the letter to the Speaker, the Akal Takht clarified that its concerns were not political but related to the possible misuse of the law in the future. It referred to the history of alleged misuse of laws such as TADA and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and said similar misuse of the sacrilege law against Sikhs in the future could not be ruled out. It said the issue should therefore be viewed objectively and above political considerations.The Akal Takht also reiterated that the door for dialogue with the Punjab Government remains open. It has constituted a committee of Sikh legal and religious experts to hold discussions with the government and evolve a consensus on amendments to the Act within two months. The committee comprises retired Justice Rupinder Singh Sodhi, retired Justice Mohinder Mohan Singh Bedi, senior advocate Puran Singh Hundal, Sikh scholar Dr Kehar Singh Patiala, Prof Jagmohan Singh of Ludhiana and SGPC additional secretary Lakhvir Singh, who will serve as the coordinator.The letters recalled that the Punjab Government had enacted the law in April 2026 without consultation or consent from the Akal Takht, SGPC or Guru Khalsa Panth.They also referred to the June 29 meeting at the Akal Takht Secretariat, where Sikh MLAs and Cabinet ministers were briefed about the objections to the legislation and had expressed their agreement after an ardas. At that meeting, the government was asked to amend the law within one month after consulting the Akal Takht and SGPC.The Akal Takht further stated that the Punjab Government’s official reply, submitted through the Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, on July 29, was not satisfactory and had been rejected. It alleged that the government was unwilling to incorporate most of the objections raised by the Akal Takht and had accepted only one of its suggestions. The letter also claimed that the government did not initiate any meaningful dialogue with the Akal Takht during the one-month period and instead defended its own position.