AMRITSAR, Nov. 8 -- The Akal Takht-appointed expert panel on Saturday sought a complete stay on implementation of the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026, before any further talks. The panel, formed to deliberate on issues concerning the anti-sacrilege law with the state government, held a meeting in Anandpur Sahib. On October 23, the nodal officer of the coordination committee constituted by the Punjab government in connection with the law had written to the Akal Takht Sahib secretariat, seeking a meeting with the expert committee, which comprises legal experts and scholars. The communication was forwarded to the coordinator of the expert committee, following which, the panel convened a meeting to discuss the matter. The meeting was attended by acting Akal Takht jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, retired justice Rupinder Singh Sodhi, retired justice Mohinder Mohan Singh Bedi, senior advocate Puran Singh Hundal, Sikh scholar Kehar Singh and socio-religious expert Jagmohan Singh. After detailed deliberations, the expert committee decided that before taking the dialogue forward, the Punjab government must completely stay theimplementation of the Amendment Act in compliance withthe Akal Takht's directions issued on June 29, 2026, and submit details of the action taken so far in line with those directions. The committee members pointed out that following a previous meeting, the panel had asked the Punjab government to submit a compliance report through a press statement issued on August 7, 2026. However, the government had yet to submit the report. Further, despite Akal Takht's directions to Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on May 8, 2026, and subsequently to the Punjab government's cabinet ministers and MLAs on June 29, 2026, the state government had taken no concrete steps to incorporate the sentiments and concerns expressed by the highest temporal seat of Sikhs. The government's "failure" to act in accordance with the Akal Takht directions was evidence of its lack of sincerity and ulterior intentions, the members said. The legislation in question-passed unanimously by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha during a special session on April 13-amends the principal 2008 Act to incorporate stricter punitive measures against the desecration or sacrilege of the Guru Granth Sahib. It includes a provision for life imprisonment for any act of sacrilege and also proposes fines from Rs.5 lakh to Rs.25 lakh. The Akal Takht has raised several objections to the law, particularly related to Sikh terminology, the "custodian" of the religious text, assigning unique numbers to the holy "Birs", procedural handling of holy scriptures, and a lack of prior consultation on specific statutory clauses. The state government on September 16 formed a seven-member coordination committee to deliberate on the law's provisions, hold discussions with the Akal Takht-constituted panel and give suggestions for further action. It comprises former Akal Takht jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, Damdami Taksal chief Giani Harnam Singh Khalsa, Sant Baba Sewa Singh of Rampur Khera, retired justice Jaspal Singh, retired justice Gurbir Singh, retired IPS officer and former Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) chairman Jatinder Singh Aulakh and law officer Preet Inder Pal Singh....