Sukhbir Singh Badal re-elected Akali Dal chief months after resigning, assassination attempt, and Golden Temple ‘seva’

Sukhbir Singh Badal, who had tendered his resignation in November last year, was re-elected unopposed as the the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday, April12. Sukhbir Singh Badal, who was declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht for "mistakes" committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal and its government, had been performing 'seva' at the Golden Temple. During this period, he also survived an assassination attempt in December 2024.

524 delegates from Punjab and other states voted in favour of Sukhbir Singh Badal. Badal's name was proposed by party's working president Balwinder Singh Bhundar while party leader Paramjit Singh Sarna seconded it. The session for electing SAD's new president was held at the Teja Singh Samundari hall in the Sri Darbar Sahib complex in Amritsar, PTI reported.

The SAD had chosen a total of 567 delegates - four each from 117 Assembly constituencies in Punjab, reported India Today. Several senior party leaders including Badal's wife and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal, former ministers Bikram Singh Majithia, Daljit Singh Cheema, senior leader Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal were present.

Sukhbir Badal took the reins of the Shiromani Akali Dal in 2008, succeeding his father and party stalwart, Parkash Singh Badal. He remained at the helm until his resignation in 2024.

After this announcement, the party will hold a political conference on April 13 at Talwandi Sabo (Bathinda) where the party chief will deliver an address, India Today reported.

On 10 January, the working committee of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had accepted the resignation of Sukhbir Singh Badal as party chief.

Sukhbir Singh Badal had tendered his resignation as the party chief on November 16 last year but the party's working committee did not accept his resignation, appealing him to reconsider his resignation otherwise the entire committee would resign enmasse.

Assassination Attempt On Sukhbir Singh Badal

On 4 December 2024, in a massive security breach at Golden Temple, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal was shot at by a man while he was performing the duty of 'sevadar' on Wednesday. Sukhbir Badal, who was sitting in a wheelchair when the attack happened, escaped unhurt as the bullet hit a wall.

The man, identified as Narayan Singh Chaura, was overpowered by some people standing outside the Golden Temple.

Sukhbir Badal's Religious Decree, Duty at the Sikh Shrines

Sukhbir Badal had been serving 'tankhah' (religious punishment) imposed on him by the Akal Takht, the highest temporal body of Sikhs, for “mistakes” attributed to his father, Prakash Singh Badal, during his tenure as CM from 2007 to 2017.

As per the decree, Sukhbir Badal must serve as a sewadar (volunteer) at several prominent Sikh shrines, including Takht Damdama Sahib, Darbar Sahib in Muktsar, and Fatehgarh Sahib for two days each, followed by the Golden Temple in Amritsar.