Chandigarh, Jan 19 (PTI) In the first elections held for the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) since its formation in 2014, Jagdish Singh Jhinda clinched victory from the Assandh ward, while Sikh preacher Baljit Singh Daduwal suffered defeat in Kalanwali.

Didar Singh Nalvi won from Shahabad ward in Kurukshetra, according to results declared for the polls.

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The HSGMC was established by the then Congress-led Haryana governmnet to manage Sikh shrines in the state. After years of legal battles over its formation, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of the Haryana Sikh Gurudwara (Management) Act, 2014 in 2022, paving way for the elections.

An ad-hoc panel had been managing the affairs of 52 historical gurudwaras in Haryana until now.

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Out of 40 wards, one candidate, Amanpreet Kaur, was earlier elected unopposed from Tohana.

Polling through electronic machines took place from 8 am to 5 pm across 406 polling booths. Officials said 164 candidates contested for the remaining 39 wards, with 3.56 lakh eligible voters including 1.90 lakh women.

Three major groups participated in the elections -- '?Panthak Dal (Jhinda), led by former HSGMC (ad-hoc) panel president, Sikh Samaj Sanstha, headed by Didar Singh Nalvi and SAD-affiliated Haryana Sikh Panthic Dal -- ?were in the fray for the HSGMC polls.

Jhinda, who was the former president of HSGMC ad-hoc panel, won the Ward 18 (Assandh in Karnal) while Sikh leader Nalvi won the Ward-13 (Shahabad in Kurukshetra), as per the result.

Sikh preacher and former HSGMC (ad-hoc) president Daduwal lost from Ward-35 (Kalanwali in Sirsa). He was defeated by Vindar Singh Khalsa.

Shiromani Akali Dal-affiliated Haryana Sikh Panthic Dal chief Baldev Singh Kayampur won the Ward-10 (Bilaspur in Yamunanagar).

Kapur Kaur, who is the candidate of Panthak Dal (Jhinda), won the Ward-16 (Nilokheri in Karnal), according to the result.

The Haryana Gurdwara Election Commission, headed by Justice (retd) H S Bhalla, had made elaborate arrangements for holding the elections. Tight security arrangements were made for the polls.

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