Temple elections spark row over 'underhand tactics'

Southall Tory Councillor Gurcharan Singh claims the president has changed the rules, making life difficult for the opposition.

The bi-annual elections at the 10,000 member Sri Guru Singh Sabha are frequently dogged by controversy and accusations of bullying and harassment.

Last month police announced a dispersal zone around the area in the run up to next month's ballot, which followed an incident in February where a man was taken to hospital after a scuffle at the Gurdwara Annual General Meeting.

Cllr Singh says president Himmat Singh Sohi is deliberately making life tough for opposition nominees.

He added: "The meaning of fair play and a level playing field seems to have changed.

"Mr Sohi has decreed that in order for nomination forms to be accepted, candidates have to agree that no election material will be posted to members directly. Instead, all material must be handed over to the scrutiny committee.

"Surprisingly, members of the scrutiny committee are those with allegiance to Mr Sohi. Furthermore, he is denying the availability of the membership list to candidates for electioneering, but has access to the list himself."

But Mr Sohi denies any wrongdoing and says he is following correct procedure in line with making the election, which chooses the board of trustees for the next two years, fair.

In the past, a number of allegations have been made by voters about undue pressure.

Previously, though, the member-ship list has been passed to other people without the data controller's permission, but this prompted strong objections, Mr Sohi claims.

He adds people have gone round to members' homes without the consent of the data controller in order to collect signatures for a petition.

"It later transpired a large number of the signatures did not match those held on the charity's records. One of the signatories had actually died in 2004 and yet his signature was supposedly obtained in May 2006."

"Regrettably, a large number of members said they were being intimidated, harassed, bullied and felt threatened by the activities of certain individuals with the membership list.

"I don't have access to the membership list either."

He added: "We're a registered charity.

"The trustees and executive committee are duty bound to follow the constitution and bye-laws, whilst also being supervised by the The Charity Commission."

"I understand Cllr Singh was one of those who strongly requested that there be greater governance and accountability and now he seems to be going against that same advice."