Punjab Assembly panel on anti-sacrilege bill seeks public suggestions through Whatsapp, email

Chandigarh, Jul 31 (PTI) The select committee of the Punjab Assembly, formed for a wider consultation with the stakeholders on an anti-sacrilege bill, has released a WhatsApp number and an email ID for receiving suggestions from the public by August 31, a public notice said.

Suggestions can be sent by the public in writing on WhatsApp number 8054495560 and on e-mail IDs secy-vs-punjab@nic.in or pvs.legislation@gmail.com, it added.

According to the public notice, the select committee seeks suggestions from the public, religious institutions, non-government organisations, experts, intellectuals and various representatives of civil society regarding the bill.

The committee also asked people to send their views through MLAs of their respective constituencies and by post or by hand.

The committee will consider suggestions received by August 31, it said.

The Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scripture(s) Bill, 2025, proposing punishment up to life imprisonment for sacrilege acts against religious scriptures, was introduced in the House on July 14.

Thereafter, the Punjab Assembly unanimously decided to refer the bill to the select committee of the House to seek public opinion, including religious bodies, on the proposed legislation.

A 15-member select committee, led by AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar, for seeking public opinion on the bill had been constituted by the Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan on July 19. The panel will submit its report on the bill within six months.

The first meeting of the select committee was held on July 24.

The anti-sacrilege bill mandates strict punishment, extending up to life imprisonment for the desecration of holy scriptures, including the Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran.

According to the bill, any person found guilty of sacrilege may face jail term ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment. The guilty shall also be liable to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh, which may extend up to Rs 10 lakh.

Those attempting to commit the offence may be sentenced to three to five years and shall also be liable to pay a fine which may extend up to Rs 3 lakh, according to the Bill. Individuals found abetting the crime will be punished in accordance with the offence committed.

According to the proposed bill, offence means any sacrilege, damage, destruction, defacing, disfiguring, de-colouring, de-filling, decomposing, burning, breaking or tearing of any holy scripture or part thereof. PTI CHS APL NB