SAD accepts Sukhbir Singh Badal’s resignation as Party President following Akal Takht directive. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) working committee on Friday formally accepted Sukhbir Singh Badal’s resignation as the party president, marking a significant development in the ongoing tensions between the party and the Akal Takht.
The decision comes after Akal Takht Jathedar took a firm stance during his meeting with SAD leaders earlier this week where he criticized the delay in implementing his directions for the party’s reorganization. SAD spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema announced the acceptance of the resignation after the committee’s meeting.
The SAD had argued that the status of a political party registered under the Constitution meant it must operate on a secular framework, which may often come into conflict with obeying instructions from the Akal Takht. The party finally buckled to the pressure of the supreme temporal seat of Sikhism.
Sukhbir Singh Badal had resigned active leadership of the SAD on 30 August, 2022 and handed the responsibility to the working committee headed by Balwinder Singh Bhundar. However, on 16 November in the same year, Badal tendered formal resignation as the president apparently in advance of facing religious sanction from the Akal Takht.
This development underscores the increased influence of Akal Takht in guiding SAD’s organizational decisions, interweaving more religious and political dynamics within the party.
