Speaker to constitute committee; Report expected within six months before further action on the bill
Chandigarh: The Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025, which had earlier been approved by the Punjab Cabinet and was scheduled to be tabled and debated in the Vidhan Sabha today, has been put on hold after the House decided to refer it to a select committee. The panel, to be constituted by Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, will include representatives from all religious communities and parties across the political spectrum.
The development follows a series of adjournments and discussions inside the Assembly earlier in the day. After the Cabinet gave its nod to the bill—which proposes life imprisonment for those convicted of sacrilege against any holy scripture—the Speaker adjourned the House for one hour and called an all-party meeting in his chamber. During the resumed session, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa raised objections to the immediate discussion of the bill, urging that all members be given adequate time to examine such a sensitive and far-reaching piece of legislation.
Following another brief adjournment, Speaker Sandhwan announced that the House had agreed to refer the bill to a select committee. This committee will include elected representatives from all religions to ensure a holistic and inclusive approach to the proposed legislation, which touches on matters deeply rooted in faith and communal harmony.
The Speaker clarified that the committee will be tasked with thoroughly reviewing the contents of the bill, consulting with relevant stakeholders, and submitting a comprehensive report to the House. Importantly, the panel has been directed to complete its deliberations and submit its report within six months, with no possibility of extension beyond this timeframe.
Until the committee submits its findings, the bill will remain in abeyance.
The original bill, approved by the Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, aimed to impose stringent penalties—including life imprisonment—for the desecration of holy scriptures such as the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Holy Quran, Holy Bible, Bhagavad Gita, and other revered religious texts. The government had justified the need for a state-specific law citing repeated incidents of sacrilege that have disrupted communal peace in Punjab and created deep societal unrest.
While the bill was being hailed by the ruling AAP government as a much-needed step to uphold religious sanctity and communal harmony, opposition members expressed concern over the haste and demanded that wider consultations be held. The decision to form a multi-faith select committee appears to be a balancing act between moving forward with strong legal safeguards against sacrilege and ensuring inclusive, consensus-based lawmaking on sensitive issues.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet also approved the Punjab Regulation of Crusher Units, and Stockists and Retailer Rules, 2025, under which all crusher units, stockists, and retailers of construction materials such as sand and gravel will now be governed by a stringent set of rules. These rules aim to prevent illegal mining and enforce environmental compliance through a transparent and accountable regulatory mechanism.
As for the sacrilege bill, all eyes will now be on the select committee and its deliberations over the next six months. The Speaker has indicated that no further legislative action on the bill will be taken until the committee submits its findings and recommendations.
