<div align="justify">The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed for maintaining status quo on 'Gurdwara Gurudongma' at Sikkim on a plea alleging move to destroy it under the garb of renovation.<br /><br />A bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra disposed of a writ petition filed by law student Amritpal Singh Khalsa and other for restraining Sikkim government from carrying out the works. A counsel representing the state government submitted that a similar plea is pending before the High Court, which is to come up for consideration on September 13.<br /><br />The court then asked the petitioner to approach the HC but ordered status quo till the matter is heard before the HC. On Tuesday, the court had asked Singh, and co-petitioner Ajmer Singh Randhawa to provide a copy of his petition to Sikkim government's counsel in order to enable it to explain the situation. <br /> <br />The petitioners have claimed “imminent threat of demolition” under the garb of renovation of 'Gurdwara Gurudongma'. They claimed 'Sri Guru Granth Sahib' and other religious items have been shifted out of site without a notice, an order, or due process of law. They contended that the authorities must be restrained from carrying out their actions as those were against fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.<br /> <br />They further claimed that they have sufficient historic books and documents as evidence which indicated that Guru Nanak Ji, the first Guru of Sikhs, went to 'Gurdwara Gurudongma' in its current place.<br /> <br />“If the respondents (Sikkim government authorities) wish to carry out any renovation work a prior notice of one month should be given to Sikh priest/Sikh people staying in Sikkim/ SGPC, Amritsar so that appropriate action for shifting of Sri Guru Granth Sahib as per Sikh Rehat Maryada/ Code of Conduct can be taken,” they said.</div>
<div align="justify">The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed for maintaining status quo on 'Gurdwara Gurudongma' at Sikkim on a plea alleging move to destroy it under the garb of renovation.<br /><br />A bench presided over by Chief Justice Dipak Misra disposed of a writ petition filed by law student Amritpal Singh Khalsa and other for restraining Sikkim government from carrying out the works. A counsel representing the state government submitted that a similar plea is pending before the High Court, which is to come up for consideration on September 13.<br /><br />The court then asked the petitioner to approach the HC but ordered status quo till the matter is heard before the HC. On Tuesday, the court had asked Singh, and co-petitioner Ajmer Singh Randhawa to provide a copy of his petition to Sikkim government's counsel in order to enable it to explain the situation. <br /> <br />The petitioners have claimed “imminent threat of demolition” under the garb of renovation of 'Gurdwara Gurudongma'. They claimed 'Sri Guru Granth Sahib' and other religious items have been shifted out of site without a notice, an order, or due process of law. They contended that the authorities must be restrained from carrying out their actions as those were against fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.<br /> <br />They further claimed that they have sufficient historic books and documents as evidence which indicated that Guru Nanak Ji, the first Guru of Sikhs, went to 'Gurdwara Gurudongma' in its current place.<br /> <br />“If the respondents (Sikkim government authorities) wish to carry out any renovation work a prior notice of one month should be given to Sikh priest/Sikh people staying in Sikkim/ SGPC, Amritsar so that appropriate action for shifting of Sri Guru Granth Sahib as per Sikh Rehat Maryada/ Code of Conduct can be taken,” they said.</div>
