<p>The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 to ensure free telecast of 'Gurbani' from the Golden Temple in Amritsar.</p>.<p>Gurbani is a term commonly used by Sikhs to refer to various compositions by the Sikh Gurus and other writers of Guru Granth Sahib.</p>.<p>The Bill was immediately taken up for discussion.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | </strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/punjab-cm-bhagwant-mann-urges-people-to-prioritise-health-practice-yoga-to-beat-stress-1229442.html" target="_blank"><strong>Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann urges people to prioritise health, practice yoga to beat stress</strong></a></p>.<p>On Monday, the Punjab Cabinet approved an amendment to the British-era Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 to ensure free-to-air telecast of Gurbani from Amritsar's Golden Temple.</p>.<p>Currently, Gurbani is broadcast from the Sikh shrine by PTC, a private channel often linked to the Shiromani Akali Dal's Badal family.</p>.<p>The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex religious body of the Sikhs, had contested the move by the AAP-led Punjab government, saying the 1925 Act is a central legislation and can only be amended by Parliament.</p>.<p>However, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said the state government was fully competent to amend this Act. He reasoned that the Supreme Court had on the issue of a separate gurdwara committee for Haryana ruled that this Act was not an inter-state Act, but a state Act. </p>
<p>The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed the Sikh Gurdwaras (Amendment) Bill, 2023 to ensure free telecast of 'Gurbani' from the Golden Temple in Amritsar.</p>.<p>Gurbani is a term commonly used by Sikhs to refer to various compositions by the Sikh Gurus and other writers of Guru Granth Sahib.</p>.<p>The Bill was immediately taken up for discussion.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | </strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/punjab-cm-bhagwant-mann-urges-people-to-prioritise-health-practice-yoga-to-beat-stress-1229442.html" target="_blank"><strong>Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann urges people to prioritise health, practice yoga to beat stress</strong></a></p>.<p>On Monday, the Punjab Cabinet approved an amendment to the British-era Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 to ensure free-to-air telecast of Gurbani from Amritsar's Golden Temple.</p>.<p>Currently, Gurbani is broadcast from the Sikh shrine by PTC, a private channel often linked to the Shiromani Akali Dal's Badal family.</p>.<p>The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex religious body of the Sikhs, had contested the move by the AAP-led Punjab government, saying the 1925 Act is a central legislation and can only be amended by Parliament.</p>.<p>However, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said the state government was fully competent to amend this Act. He reasoned that the Supreme Court had on the issue of a separate gurdwara committee for Haryana ruled that this Act was not an inter-state Act, but a state Act. </p>