On Monday, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha unanimously passed the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which introduces stringent penalties for sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib, a revered text in Sikhism. The Bill stipulates life imprisonment and fines up to ₹25 lakh (approximately $30,000 USD) for acts of sacrilege, alongside a minimum of seven years in prison for desecration. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann emphasized the Bill as a corrective measure for past governmental failures, aiming to protect the sanctity of the Guru Granth Sahib. The legislation mandates that investigations be conducted by police officers of a certain rank and requires the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to maintain a register for the distribution and storage of the Guru Granth Sahib. While the Bill received unanimous support, it sparked debate among opposition members regarding its intent and the necessity of prior consultations. Mann expressed commitment to expediting the Bill's implementation and highlighted that previous sacrilege bills had faced delays without presidential assent. This new legislation is seen as a significant step towards safeguarding the religious sentiments of the Sikh community and preventing future acts of sacrilege.