The Sikh Court
The Sikh Court | |
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Established | April 2024 |
Jurisdiction | England and Wales |
Authorized by | Arbitration Act 1996 |
Website | www.sikhcourt.co.uk |
Chief Judge | |
Currently | Baldip Singh |
Chief Magistrate | |
Currently | Gurbani Kaur |
The Sikh Court is a legal organization set up in the United Kingdom in 2024 by a group of Sikh lawyers. It is intended to act as an alternative dispute resolution body for disputes within the British Sikh community.[1]
In spite of its name, the founders have stated that it is not a religious tribunal, and participation in its processes is voluntary.[2][3] The court has 46 members, who were sworn in on April 2024.[4]
History
[edit]In April 2024, the world's first Sikh court was established by Sikh lawyers in the 15th-century Old Hall at Lincoln's Inn, London. The court aims to provide an alternative forum for dispute resolution for UK-based Sikhs involved in family and civil disputes, operating on a mediation-arbitration framework in tandem with the UK courts to alleviate backlogs and offer culturally informed judgments.[1]
Key Members
[edit]- Chief Judge - Baldip Singh Aulak
- Chief Magistrate - Gurbani Kaur
- Family Lead Judge - Sharan Kaur
- Civil Lead Judge - Satvinder Singh Juss
- Fact Finding Inquiries Lead Judge - Harjap Singh Bhangal
Criticism
[edit]Pragna Patel of Southall Black Sisters, have criticised the creation of the court, saying that it is an example of a wider trend of conservative religious forces creating "parallel justice systems" occupying areas that were previously the concern of the secular state.[5][6]
See Also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "The world's first Sikh court opens in London - Religion Media Centre". religionmediacentre.org.uk. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ "UK Gets First 'Sikh Court' To Deal With Family Disputes: Report". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ "London gets world's first Sikh court for family dispute resolution". India Today. 2024-05-02. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ^ "The world's first Sikh court opens in London: How will it work?". Firstpost. 2024-04-26. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
- ^ Patel, Pragna (2024-05-31). "The world is getting its first Sikh court in London. That's a threat to women's rights". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-06-01.
- ^ Sanghi, Sanskriti (2024-05-20). "Joint Statement on the The[sic] Sikh Court". Southall Black Sisters. Retrieved 2024-06-01.
External links
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