Amritsar, June 26 -- Nearly one-and-a-half years after the Maharashtra government proposed amendments to the Nanded Sikh Gurdwara Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Act, 1956, and later put them on hold following protests, it has now proposed replacing the law altogether, drawing opposition from Sikh organisations worldwide. On June 22, the Maharashtra cabinet, chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, approved a proposal to repeal the 70-year-old Act governing Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib at Nanded, one of the five Sikh Takhts and the place where Guru Gobind Singh spent his final days. Under the proposal, the existing law will be replaced by the Takht Sachkhand Sri Hazur Abchalnagar Sahib Gurdwara Act. The draft has received cabinet approval and will be finalised in consultation with the law and justice department before being introduced during the ongoing monsoon session of the state legislature. Fresh rules governing administration, elections and bylaws of the gurdwara board will follow after its passage. The Takht Sri Hazur Sahib has passed a gurmata (religious edict) opposing the government proposal. The resolution states that the existing administrative framework is rooted in Sikh principles and the vision of Guru Gobind Singh, and the proposed legislation could undermine those foundations. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami termed the move a direct interference in gurdwara management and said any decision regarding the Takht's traditions, administration and autonomy should be taken only after consultation with Sikh institutions, Takht jathedars and the SGPC. He urged the Maharashtra government to stop efforts aimed at increasing government influence in Sikh shrines. Earlier in February 2024, the Maharashtra government had allowed direct nomination of 12 of the 17 board members and reduced representation of Sikh institutions. The proposal was withdrawn following protests by the SGPC and other Sikh organisations. Sikh NGO Misl Satluj's chief Ajaypal Singh Brar alleged that the new legislation would again allow the government to nominate 12 members of the 17-member board, reduce SGPC representation from four members to two, eliminate the roles of Chief Khalsa Diwan and Hazuri Sachkhand Diwan, and abolish mandatory seats for Sikh MPs. He termed it an attempt to place the Takht under government control. Brar also demanded implementation of the 1959 Nehru-Tara Singh Agreement through legislation to prevent government interference in Sikh religious affairs. Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Jagdish Singh Jhinda also opposed the move....