Shiromani Akali Dal barred from contesting in Delhi gurdwara panel elections

Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal (Image- Twitter-@officeofssbadal)

The Sukhbir Singh Badal-led Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has been barred from contesting in the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) elections.

The party turned ineligible to enter into the polling fray after it failed to submit an undertaking stating that it is a "religious party", an official was quoted as saying on March 31.

"The SAD’s party symbol of bucket has been seized. This means it is not in the fray for the DSGMC elections," Hindustan Times quoted department director Narinder Singh as saying.

On March 19, the DSGMC had issued an order stating that only "religious parties" - as registered under the Societies Registration Act at least a year before the polls - would be allowed to field their candidates on the respective party symbols.

The DSGMC polls, in all 46 wards, is scheduled to be held on April 25. The counting of votes will take place on April 28.

Although the Akali Dal is barred from contesting, the party can field its candidates as independents. They would, however, not be allowed to use the SAD's bucket symbol, Singh clarified.