The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) General House elected former Dhuri MLA Gobind Singh Longowal as the 42nd president during its annual meeting at Teja Singh Samundri Hall
Longowal defeated Amrik Singh Shahpur of Dera Baba Nanak, securing 154 votes. Shahpur, who polled 15 votes, was later included on the 11-member executive at the insistence of the Panthic Front, constituted some weeks prior to the poll by Sukhdev Singh Bhaur, a former general secretary.
Gurbachan Singh Karmowala was elected general secretary, Raghujit Singh Karnal senior vice-president and Harpal Singh Jalla junior vice-president unopposed
Longowal said his top priority was propagating Sikhism
