VANCOUVER – The Sikh Sangat Seva Society has won a court decision to keep a new un-elected committee from taking power at Khalsa Diwan Society, Ross Street temple in Vancouver, according to a news release from the Society.
The Ross Gurdwara case was to be heard on December 15 in a one day hearing.
“Sikh Sangat Seva Society of BC made a challenge to the unfair membership process, enrolment irregularities, faulty memberships, forgery, dumping of memberships in January 2014 (2100 forms) and (1100 forms) in July 2014, appointment of a 3rd party monitor at the enrolment process with just two months before the deadline after flooding their supporters memberships, dumping 800 membership 2 days before the 3rd took over, individuals with multiple memberships and memberships for non-existing individuals. They also wanted to void the self appointed “new” executive that claimed to have run un-opposed and was to take power on January 1, 2015.,” Sikh Sangat said in a press release
However, the Ross executive went to court on December 8 asking for adjournment of the petition, seek permission to install their new executive and for the case to be heard in 2015 in a week-long trial instead of the one day. This option would have let them keep power and if they lost they would appeal and the whole process would have taken more than a year. In the meantime they would keep control.
“This new court battle could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Which is no problem for any ruling party as they have the donations at their disposal; while the opposition has to spend from their pockets,” Sikh Sangat said.
Sikh Sangat asked that the old committee remain in power until the case is heard thereby avoiding any favoritism. Khalsa Diwan Society lawyer challenged this and said this was not possible as some of the current members did not wish to remain in power. In addition the bank could cause problems for the society for the loan. Therefore, the new committee must take power.
However, the judge questioned in disbelief what problems the bank could cause and seeing the overwhelming evidence agreed with the Sikh Sangat response and did not allow the new committee to take over. He ordered the current executive to stay in power until March 1, 2015 and the case is to be heard at the end of February 2015.
Sikh Sangat said it wants all the fraudulent membership cancelled. “In addition, we challenge everyone on this executive to pay for their legal expenses and to not use the Gurdwara donations. We are paying from own pockets. They committed the breaches to keep control and now they should pay for their wrongdoings. The donation box is not to pay for lawyers,” they said.
