Sri Akal Takht Sahib

What it is: Sri Akal Takht Sahib stands in the Darbar Sahib complex at Amritsar, facing the Harmandir. The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism calls it the primary seat of Sikh religious authority and a central place for Sikh political assembly. It issues hukamnamas on doctrine and conduct and can penalise those who break religious discipline; the Encyclopaedia adds that it does not forgive sins. The Sikhs recognise four other takhts: Kesgarh Sahib at Anandpur, Harmandar Sahib at Patna, Hazur Sahib at Nanded and Damdama Sahib at Talwandi Sabo.

How it began: Guru Hargobind had a platform built opposite the Harimandar and named it Akal Takht. By the Gurbilas Chhevin Patshahi, work began on 15 June 1606, the Guru laid the cornerstone, and Bhai Buddha and Bhai Gurdas completed it. From it the Guru began issuing hukamnamas, with Bhai Gurdas as the officiant in charge.

Through the centuries: Sarbat Khalsa assemblies met there to decide the Panth’s course: the reorganisation into 25 jathas on 14 October 1745, the founding of the Dal Khalsa with its misls on 29 March 1748, and the resolve to attack Lahore in November 1760. Ahmad Shah Durrani destroyed the building in December 1764, a small band of Nihangs under Gurbakhsh Singh died defending it, and a Sarbat Khalsa resolved on 10 April 1765 to rebuild.

Who leads it: Its head priest is the Jathedar. In recent years the SGPC executive has appointed and removed him. Giani Raghbir Singh was jathedar in August 2024 when the Akal Takht declared Sukhbir Singh Badal tankhaiya. The SGPC removed him on 7 March 2025 and gave Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, already named jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib, additional charge as acting jathedar of the Akal Takht. He took charge on 10 March. Nihang bodies and the Damdami Taksal opposed the appointment.

Key moments

• June 1984: the building was badly damaged in Operation Blue Star. The government rebuilt it, but the Sikhs did not accept that structure, and it was pulled down in early 1986. On 26 January 1986 a Sarbat Khalsa called by the Damdami Taksal met at the Akal Takht. The present building was raised by kar seva and voluntary donations.
• 2015: a Sarbat Khalsa organised by several Sikh bodies named its own jathedar, Jagtar Singh Hawara, with Dhian Singh Mand acting for him. The SGPC does not recognise it.
• 30 August 2024: the five Singh Sahiban unanimously declared Sukhbir Singh Badal tankhaiya for the mistakes of his party and government from 2007 to 2017. On 2 December 2024 the tankhah was pronounced, the Fakhr-e-Qaum title given to Parkash Singh Badal in 2011 was withdrawn, and the Akali Dal was told to run a membership drive and hold elections within six months.
• 15 June 2026: the five Singh Sahiban declared Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann “Guru dokhi” and “Khalsa Panth virodhi” and told Sikhs not to associate with him. Grounds given were a video, which the Akal Takht says two government-recognised labs found authentic, and the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026. Mann told the Akal Takht in January 2026 that the video was fake and AI-generated, and AAP has questioned the forensic reports.
• 29 June 2026: 87 MLAs came to the Akal Takht Secretariat. The jathedar told them to remove objectionable clauses from the Act within a month and keep it on hold.

Where it stands: On 30 July 2026 the Akal Takht rejected the Punjab government’s 24-page reply, saying it accepted about a tenth of the objections, and formed a committee to talk to the government. On 1 October 2026 it asked the government to keep the Act in abeyance until there is consensus. Gargaj, named acting jathedar in March 2025, was still in the office, and called Jathedar, in the Tribune’s mid-October 2026 reports.