PRITAM DASS MAHANT vs SHIROMANI GURUDWARA PRABANDHAK COMMITTEE

The Supreme Court held that Dera Bhai Bhagtu is not a Sikh Gurudwara under the Sikh Gurudwara Act, 1925, specifically Section 16(2). The Court found that the Tribunal and High Court overlooked critical evidence, including the presence of Samadhs and idols of Hindu deities, which indicated the institution's character as an Udasi establishment rather than a Sikh Gurudwara. Consequently, the appeal was allowed, reversing the lower courts' findings.