• ¨     Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced that the Anti-Sacrilege Bill 2026 has been passed by the state Assembly and has been sent to the Governor, Gulab Chand Kataria, for approval.
  •     The bill was passed unanimously by the Punjab Assembly and aims to provide stricter punishment for acts of sacrilege, especially those involving the Guru Granth Sahib.

Key Provisions of the Anti-Sacrilege Bill 2026

  • ¨     The official name of the law is the Jagat Jyot Shri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026.

Including:

  • ¨     Life imprisonment for serious acts of sacrilege
  •           A fine of up to ₹25 lakh
  •      A stronger legal framework compared to existing laws 
  •     This bill amends the Jagat Jyot Shri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008 and aims to provide greater protection to religious sentiments.

Why the Bill Was Introduced

  • ¨     The Punjab government emphasized that the existing provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita are not stringent enough to deal with sacrilege-related offenses.
  •      Additionally, rising concerns over such incidents have led to the demand for a stricter and more robust legal mechanism.