Judgment

Srinivasan, J.-Leave granted.

2. This proceeding had its origin in an application by 60 persons claiming to be worshippers of Gurudwara Dera Lang Guru Granth Sahib situate within the revenue estate of village Sardargarh, Tehsil and District Bhatinda under Section 7(1) of the Sikh Gurudwara Act, 1925 (hereinafter to be referred to as the ‘Act’). Under the provisions of sub-section (8) of Section 7 of the Act, the Governor of Punjab issued a Notification No. 1301-GP dated 7th August, 1984 published in the Government gazette alongwith a list of rights, titles and interests in properties said to belong to the said Gurudwara. One Mahant Puran Dass filed a petition under Section 8 of the Act with the State Government which was forwarded under Section 14(1) of the Act to the Sikh Gurud­waras Tribunal, Punjab at Chandigarh. Mahant Puran Dass claimed that the institution was not a Sikh Gurudwara but it was a Dera of Udasi sadhus. The Tribunal impleaded the appellant herein as party respond­ent in the said petition. Evidence was adduced by both the parties. The Tribunal held that Mahant Puran Dass was not a hereditary office holder and had no locus standi to maintain a petition under