 Early Times Report
JAMMU, July 10: Balvinder Singh, RTI Activist and Vice President of the District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (DGPC), Jammu, has urged the Jammu & Kashmir Government to implement the provisions of Section 18 of the Jammu & Kashmir Sikh Gurdwaras and Religious Endowment Act, 1973 by issuing appropriate directions to every Deputy Commissioner in the Union Territory to ensure that auditors are appointed for the respective District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committees (DGPCs), enabling the mandatory annual audit of their accounts.
He said a detailed representation in this regard was submitted on 16 May 2026 to the Chief Secretary through the Commissioner/Secretary, General Administration Department, with copies to the Commissioner/Secretary, Finance Department. However, despite more than fifty days having elapsed, the matter is still awaiting consideration.
Balvinder Singh stated that the District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committees were constituted on 27 June 2022, yet the statutory audit envisaged under the Act has not commenced. Referring to Section 18(1), he said the Act provides that the accounts of the Board and the Committees shall be audited once every year by an auditor appointed by the Government. He further pointed out that Section 18(2) specifically provides that the expenditure on such audit shall be borne from the funds of the Board or the concerned Committee.
He also referred to Section 15 of the Act, under which matters relating to the District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committees are dealt with by the respective Deputy Commissioners, while matters concerning the Jammu and Kashmir Gurdwara Board fall within the jurisdiction of the Divisional Commissioners. In view of this statutory framework, he urged the Government to direct every Deputy Commissioner to take necessary steps for ensuring compliance with Section 18 so that auditors are appointed and annual audits of the respective DGPCs are conducted in accordance with law.
"There is no financial impediment to conducting the statutory audit, as Section 18(2) clearly provides that the audit expenditure shall be met from the funds of the concerned Committee. DGPC Jammu is fully prepared to bear the audit expenses in accordance with the Act," Balvinder Singh said.
He emphasized that annual statutory audits are essential for ensuring transparency, financial accountability and good governance in the management of Sikh religious institutions. He urged the Chief Secretary to issue suitable directions to every Deputy Commissioner for facilitating compliance with the statutory provisions, commence the audit of DGPC Jammu from the date of its constitution, and establish a permanent mechanism to ensure that annual audits of all District Gurdwara Parbandhak Committees are conducted regularly in accordance with the Jammu & Kashmir Sikh Gurdwaras and Religious Endowment Act, 1973. |
