Sat Nov 16 15:26:48 IST 2024: ## SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal Resigns After Akal Takht Ruling

**Chandigarh, November 16, 2024** – Sukhbir Singh Badal, president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), resigned from his post on Saturday, paving the way for the election of a new party chief. The announcement was made by senior party leader Daljit Singh Cheema.

Badal’s resignation follows his declaration as “tankhaiya” (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht in August. While the Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Raghbir Singh, has yet to pronounce the specific religious punishment (“tankhah”), Badal had recently urged the Jathedar to expedite the process. His resignation comes after over two months since the initial ruling and the party’s subsequent decision to withdraw from by-elections in October.

The decision to resign was reportedly made to allow for a smooth transition of leadership within the party. In a statement, Cheema confirmed Badal submitted his resignation to the party’s working committee and thanked party members for their support. The resignation follows a July 1st appeal for forgiveness from several rebel SAD leaders, who sought absolution for alleged mistakes made during the party’s tenure in government from 2007 to 2017.

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