Chandigarh: The Punjab Cabinet has approved the Jagat Jyot Shri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposing stringent punishment for sacrilege, including a mandatory jail term ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment.
The bill will be tabled in a special session of the Punjab Assembly on Monday. It also has a provision of a fine ranging between ₹5 lakh and ₹25 lakh for those found guilty.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the law, being a state legislation, will not require Presidential assent and can be implemented immediately after passage.
He added that while earlier laws failed to effectively punish masterminds behind such incidents, the new bill aims to hold conspirators equally accountable.
Targeting previous governments, Cheema said provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) were insufficient to curb such offences, making stronger legislation necessary to protect religious harmony and sanctity.
In the same meeting, the Cabinet also approved a project to install solar street lights in 11,500 villages across Punjab. The scheme will be funded with 70% contribution (₹380 crore) from the government and 30% (₹170 crore) from respective village panchayats.
