“Separate group misusing SAD’s name, will file criminal complaint,” says Akali Dal

A day after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) faced a virtual split following the rebel faction announcing its new president, the party on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) said it would file a criminal complaint against those leaders who were trying to appropriate the name of the SAD that was a registered and recognised party as per the Election Commission notification of 1996.

Accusing the rebel faction of deceiving Punjabis by making false claims, senior party leader Daljit Singh Cheema said, “At present 100% of the delegates of the Shiromani Akali Dal are with the party and not even one member of the separate group, which was misusing the name of the SAD, was a member of the latter party.”

Mr. Cheema said all delegates of the SAD had been elected after a due election following the end of the term of the previous working committee. “All members of the SAD had taken membership of the party after submitting a membership fee of ₹10, which was applicable for five years. The separate group did not conduct any membership drive as per the constitution of the party, which stipulates that every member has to pay a fee of ₹10. Therefore, they have no right to call their party meeting a delegate session of the SAD and can be proceeded against for indulging in cheating and forgery,” he said here at a press conference.

He also termed the move as illegal, unconstitutional and immoral and said the SAD was consulting legal experts in order to file a formal criminal complaint in this regard.

The party breakaway faction on August 11 had declared former Akal Takht acting chief priest Giani Harpreet Singh as its president.