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Partition Voting In Gurudwaras . Right/Wrong ?

itsmaneet

SPNer
Jun 13, 2012
216
159
38
Nagpur, India
Recently SAD (Badal) won the elections conducted for DSGPC, Delhi & defeated Sarna Brothers ....

I wonder whether voting is the right way for electing Committee (Sewadars) or some other better option can be tried .... for instance I feel forming Sewadar on 'Sarab Sehmati' is better option ....
 

BlazinSikh

SPNer
May 6, 2011
97
147
Croydon, London, England
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ke Fateh!

Voting in Gurdwaras is kind of a 50/50 thing.

The positive for voting is:
1) Peoples voices are able to be herd
2) opportunity is given to others to join in and make changes with in a Gurdwaras
3) people have a choice on who should be voted, so it makes it fair.

The negative for voting is:
1) Gurdwaras is meant to be place of worship, not the head of parliament, so it kind of kills the spiritual path of sikhi, and depending on who is voted for, that person will more likely focus on the control of the Gurdwara rather than making sikhi the main priority

2) Just as politics in the past, present and probably the future. having politics in the Gurdwara could probably cause more problems for the sangat ( and trust me, I know what I'm on about)

3) It is less likely that the person who is voted for has a head of a committee, will not allow there ego get the best of them.

4) "2) opportunity is given to others to join in and make changes with in a Gurdwaras" this can also be a negative, because the changes a committee could make, could be a non sikhi, or a negative change, which could effect the sangat.

so those are my views

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ka Fateh!
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
Voting for management of gurdwaras and voting for management positions for SGPC are entirely different election processes with entirely different goals. To begin with, the SGPC manages about 72 gurdwaras throughout Punjab and a few other states in India, per the Indian Constitution and the Sikh Gurdwara Act. You cannot compare one with the other. We have 2 other threads on this issue. If you read them you will get a perspective on the issues for each kind of election.

Here are 2 that I could locate quickly. There may be other related threads.

http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/india/40062-why-selection-system-better-than-election.html

http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/gener...a-management-seva-election-majority-vote.html
 
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Ishna

Writer
SPNer
May 9, 2006
3,261
5,192
I can't vote in my gurdwara anymore, they changed my membership type from 'member' to 'associate member'. I guess I'm not Punjabi enough to be a member of my local Sikh Society.
 

Ishna

Writer
SPNer
May 9, 2006
3,261
5,192
This is plain bigotry laced with insecure macho-ism.

I'm hoping they've made an administrative error but they wouldn't give me a voting card at the last special meeting because of my newfound membership type. I'm going to challenge them politely at the next special meeting in a couple of weeks if it hasn't been changed back to 'member'. I'll keep you posted...
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
SPNer
Jun 17, 2004
14,500
19,219
ishna ji

The gurdwara should have on public record something akin to articles of incorporation or bylaws that define membership. If bylaws are not on file with the courts, they should be available through the committee anyway. That would be essential in the event that an election were contested for any reason. The election outcome would have to be adjudicated in a court of law and the bylaws would be an essential legal document. I don't know what the terminology would be in Australia exactly... however, there would be an equivalent. Maybe you already have them.
 

Ishna

Writer
SPNer
May 9, 2006
3,261
5,192
ishna ji

The gurdwara should have on public record something akin to articles of incorporation or bylaws that define membership. If bylaws are not on file with the courts, they should be available through the committee anyway. That would be essential in the event that an election were contested for any reason. The election outcome would have to be adjudicated in a court of law and the bylaws would be an essential legal document. I don't know what the terminology would be in Australia exactly... however, there would be an equivalent. Maybe you already have them.

Adminji,

Yes, here an association needs to have a Constitution. We have one, and I've checked it, and it's definition for someone to be a member is that they have to be Sikh and live within a specific local boundary. I live in the boundary, and they have defined 'Sikh' even more broadly than the SGPC has! I definitely fit according to their rules. And I will be kindly pointing this out if the problem continues. It will be interesting to see the outcome...
 

Tejwant Singh

Mentor
Writer
SPNer
Jun 30, 2004
5,028
7,188
Henderson, NV.
Adminji,

Yes, here an association needs to have a Constitution. We have one, and I've checked it, and it's definition for someone to be a member is that they have to be Sikh and live within a specific local boundary. I live in the boundary, and they have defined 'Sikh' even more broadly than the SGPC has! I definitely fit according to their rules. And I will be kindly pointing this out if the problem continues. It will be interesting to see the outcome...

It will be interesting if SPN can write and email a petition in favour of the membership to the Gurdwara committee by giving valid reasons based on Sikhi tenets.

Just a thought!
 

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