Source: Outlook India

Wire Service: PTI

http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=324598

On September 22, 2005 the Press Trust of India reported, "All the five priests of the Golden Temple today outrightly rejected SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur's plea to allow baptised Sikh women to perform religious service inside the shrine. At a meeting here, presided over by head priest Gyani Gurbachan Singh, the five priests in a resolution rejected Kaur's plea to allow Amritdhari Sikh women to perform religious service along with male members inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden temple. The five priests later submitted the resolution before Akal Takht Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti who is the ultimate authority to take a decision in this regard. The five priests are Gyani Gurbachan Singh, Gyani Mohan Singh, Gyani Jaswinder Singh, Gyani Jagtar Singh and Gyani Mal Singh. On August 17 this year, Kaur had allowed the baptised Sikh women to perform religious service subject to final approval from Vedanti. Earlier, Kaur in her proposal forwarded to Vedanti had favoured allowing Amritdhari Sikh women to perform Kirtan Sewa (singing of religious hymns) in the Golden Temple."