Person
Bibi Jagir Kaur
Senior Akali leader, the first woman and first Dalit to head the SGPC (1999); later a rebel against the Badal leadership and a leader of the breakaway Akali faction in 2025.
Bibi Jagir Kaur is a senior Akali leader and former president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). In March 1999, with the backing of the Shiromani Akali Dal, she became the first woman to head the SGPC. A Tribune editorial of 28 March 1999 said she had three firsts to her credit: the first woman to head the body, the first Dalit to reach that position, and the first to dislodge Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who had won the post 25 times. She was 45.
Key moments
- 2000: she resigned the SGPC presidency after being accused in a case over the death of her daughter, Harpreet Kaur.
- 30 March 2012: a CBI court at Patiala convicted her of conspiracy in the forcible abortion and abduction of her daughter, acquitted her of murder, and sentenced her to five years. She resigned the same day as Punjab's Rural Water Supply and Sanitation minister, the only woman in the cabinet. On 4 December 2018 the Punjab and Haryana High Court set the conviction aside and acquitted her.
- 29 November 2020: she was elected SGPC president again, with 122 of 143 votes.
- November 2022: she insisted on contesting the SGPC presidency against Harjinder Singh Dhami, whom the party had named. The Akali Dal suspended her and expelled her on 7 November 2022 for not appearing before its disciplinary committee. In the vote on 9 November she lost, 104 to 42.
- 1 July 2024: as a rebel leader she appeared at Sri Akal Takht Sahib with Prem Singh Chandumajra, Gurpartap Singh Wadala, Parminder Singh Dhindsa and Sucha Singh Chhotepur, and handed Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh a letter of apology for mistakes made while the Akali Dal governed from 2007 to 2017.
- 28 October 2024: she stood again for the SGPC presidency, for the Sudhar Lehar, which PTI called a rebel faction of the Akali Dal, and lost to Dhami, 107 votes to 33, with two invalid.
- 11 August 2025: she attended the Amritsar delegate session at which the breakaway faction chose Giani Harpreet Singh as president.
The breakaway leaders say their body is the real Akali Dal and plan to seek recognition from the Election Commission.
Sources
- She raised woman's status among Sikhs (editorial, 28 March 1999), The Tribune. tribuneindia.com
- Jagir Kaur gets 5-year jail term for daughter's abduction, quits (30 March 2012), The Tribune. tribuneindia.com
- Bibi Jagir Kaur acquitted in daughter's death case (4 December 2018), The Tribune. tribuneindia.com
- Bibi Jagir Kaur elected SGPC chief third time (29 November 2020), The Hitavada. thehitavada.com
- Shiromani Akali Dal expels Bibi Jagir Kaur from party (7 November 2022), The Tribune. tribuneindia.com
- SAD's Harjinder Dhami reelected as SGPC president (9 November 2022), ETV Bharat. etvbharat.com
- Rebel Akali Dal leaders appear before Akal Takht jathedar, apologise for mistakes during SAD regime (1 July 2024), The Tribune. tribuneindia.com
- Harjinder Singh Dhami re-elected SGPC president for fourth term (28 October 2024), The Tribune. tribuneindia.com
- SAD's Harjinder Dhami reelected SGPC chief for 4th term (28 October 2024), The Week (PTI). theweek.in
- Akal Takht panel appoints Giani Harpreet Singh chief of SAD breakaway faction (12 August 2025), The Tribune. tribuneindia.com