Chandigarh, June 04: The Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee, a powerful representative body of Sikhs, has expressed "deep concern" at the dwindling number of Sikhs in higher judiciary and urged the Centre to take "immediate corrective action". SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar today sent a three page letter resenting the poor representation of Sikhs in higher judiciary to President APJ Abdul Kalam, Prime Minsiter Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Chief Justice of India V N Khare and Law Minister Arun Jaitley.
Releasing copies of the letter at a press conference here Badungar, expressed the hope that the issue would be addressed with the "seriousness it deserves and ensure that immediate necessary action is taken keeping in view national interest, the aspirations of this patriotic community and in conformity with constitutional requirements".
Badungar claimed in the letter that in the last five decades only two Sikhs have been appointed as judges of Supreme Court, only a handful of Sikh judges are there in high courts against about 60 per cent earlier and there is not a single Sikh in the team of law officers of the union.
Even in appointments of governors and ambassadors Sikhs in adequate numbers should be considered and appointed, he said adding that "work, conduct and merit" should form part of the selection process.
He, however, clarified that SGPC was not seeking any reservation for the community.
Bureau Report