Punjab Anti-Sacrilege Law Challenged In High Court

A Public Interest Litigation has been filed before the Punjab & Haryana High Court challenging the constitutional validity of the “Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act, 2026” (Anti-Sacrilege Act) .The petition has been filed by Simranjeet Singh, a Punjab based law graduate, who has approached the Court in person.The petition challenges the validity of the 2026 Amendment Act, which received the Governor's assent on April 17, 2026 and was notified on April 20, 2026.It is contended that the Act introduces stringent criminal penalties, including life imprisonment, which fall within the Concurrent List. Since these provisions are allegedly inconsistent with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Act required Presidential assent under Article 254(2). The absence of such assent, it is argued, renders the law unconstitutional.The petitioner submits that the Act creates a special penal framework exclusively for one religious scripture, thereby violating the principle of equality before law and the basic structure doctrine of secularism.Challenge has also been laid to Section 5(3), which prescribes life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit sacrilege. The plea argues that imposing punishment equivalent to that for grave offences like murder for a non-violent act is disproportionate and manifestly arbitrary.The plea stated that definition of “sacrilege” under Section 2(bb) has been termed overly broad, covering acts through words, signs, or electronic means. It is contended that such vagueness may have a chilling effect on free speech and fails the test of reasonable restrictions.The petitioner stated that although he holds a law degree, his license to practice as an advocate is presently under suspension. He has candidly disclosed that in earlier PILs filed against PSPCL (Punjab State Power Corporation Limited), costs of ₹15,000 each were imposed by the High Court due to non-disclosure of this fact.Title: Simranjeet Singh v. State of Punjab and Others

Punjab Anti-Sacrilege Law Challenged In High Court

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