Context:
The Punjab Assembly has unanimously passed the Jagtar Singh Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposing stringent punishment—including life imprisonment—for sacrilege-related offences.
- Sacrilege is the violation, desecration, or disrespectful treatment of a person, place, or object that is held sacred or holy. E.g Damaging a holy book of a religion.
- Sacrilege has remained a highly emotive issue in the state of Punjab, particularly after the 2015 incidents involving the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book of sikhs.
- The new bill expands the definition of sacrilege beyond physical acts (burning, tearing, theft) to include: Spoken expressions, Written or symbolic representations, Digital or electronic content hurting religious sentiments
- The provision to punish acts that “hurt sentiments” raises concerns about freedom of speech under Article 19(1)(a) and potential misuse.
- The debate highlights a broader constitutional tension between: Freedom of expression (vs)
- Maintenance of public order and respect for religion. The Bill also raises questions about federal dynamics, as earlier similar Bills required Presidential assent due to conflict with central laws (IPC provisions on religious offences like Sections 295–298)
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Punjab’s Sacrilege Bill and Its Implications