LONDON, March 11 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:

Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Sloughwas set up to advance the Sikh religion and promote education in the Punjabi language and culture, primarily throughoperatinga Sikh Gurdwara in Berkshire.

Thecharityregulatorfor England and Waleshasconcluded its case reviewing allegations of political activity at the charity, alongside wider governance concerns.Regulatory action has been taken in response to the charity'spersistent failureto file its accounts on time, across five non-consecutive years.

The Commissionhas issued the charity with an Official Warning overthese lapses in financial reporting, whilerecognising thatmostof the current trustees werenotin post when the failures took place.

After the matter arose as part of this case, the regulator also determined that Khalistan boards displayed by this charity did not constitute a breach of charity law.

Background

In November 2019, concerns were raised with the Commission over alleged political activity on the charity's premises.TheCommission began gathering and assessing information whichled to the opening of a regulatory compliance case the following month.

InApril 2020, the Commission met with representatives of the charity tobetter understand how the display of twoboards referencingKhalistan at thecharity's premises furthered its objects.

Khalistan holds theological importance in the Sikh faith however, to some, itrepresentsadvocation for an independent Sikh state. The regulator looked to understand the context in which Khalistan was displayed on the premises.

This meeting also enabled the regulator todiscussadditionalconcerns it hadidentifiedduring its assessment, includingthe charity's persistent late filing of accounting information.

Following this, the Commission continued to gather information and consulteda number ofstakeholdersto inform its response.

Findingsand action taken

The regulatordeterminedthat governance weaknesses at the charity requiredremedial action.

Thecharityalsorepeatedly filed itsannual accountingdocumentslate forthefinancial years2017, 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2024.In addition, auditors raised concerns about certain aspects of the charity's accounts forfinancialyears2022 and 2024, highlightingfurther weaknesses which needed to be addressed through remedial steps.This included introducing better controls for banking cash donations and adopting a proper accounting system.

As a result of its findings, the Commission issued a regulatory action plan in December 2024 to the charity's trustees which included, but was not limited to, the following:

* improving the charity's Governing Document to clarify processes around the appointment and removal oftrustees, andmanaging disputes. * implementinga safeguarding policy and introducing procedures, such as Disclosure andBarringServicechecks. * supplyingoutstanding financial information andannual accountingdocuments, andensuring future accounts are not filed late.

The charity has acted on theregulatoryactionplanand as such, theCommissionis closing its case.

However,theCommission hasdeterminedthatthe repeated late filing ofaccountingdocuments,someaspectsof whichthe charity'sauditors found concerning,amounts to a breach of trust or dutyand/ orother misconduct and/ or mismanagement.As a result,the regulatorhas issued the charity with an Official Warning.

Display of Khalistan boards

During the course of its case, the Commission sought evidence and views from several sector representatives, stakeholders and specialists to effectively assess a complaint it received which claimed, by displaying Khalistan boards, the charity was in breach of charity law regarding political activity. The Commission also received representations from MPs with an interest in the subject.

Following substantial review of the evidence, last year, the regulator accepted that Khalistan has an important religious meaning within Sikhism. In this case, the Khalistan boards displayed by the charity simply displayed the word Khalistan, without other wording or any image. They did not contain material promoting Khalistan as an independent state. As such, the regulator concluded that the charity is acting within its religious objects.

Promoting the creation of Khalistan as an independent state is a political activity as it is aimed at securing a change in policy in India as it relates to its sovereignty. If the charity had been carrying out such activity this would not have been compatible with advancing the charity's religious objects. Such activity would be a breach of charity law and the Commission's guidance on campaigning and political activity.

JoshuaFarbridge, Head of Compliance Visits and Inspections, said:

Trustees have a duty, in law, to file their accounting information on timeand owe ittotheir beneficiaries andthepublic tobetransparentand accountable.This charityfailed tomeet this duty repeatedly andso we have acted- by issuing a formal warning.

Our case, which assesseda number ofconcerns raised, has nowcome to an end. We are satisfied,based on evidence supplied by the charity, that steps have been taken to address governance weaknesses.The charitycannowmove forward in a stronger position.

He added:

This caseinvolved a complex and sensitive matterregardingthe display of 'Khalistanboards'. Itrequiredtimefor ustothoroughlyreview a substantial amount ofmaterial and consultwith experts and stakeholders.This findingwill help bring clarity toothers- ensuringreligiouscharities are freely ableto honour an important aspect of their faithwithout breachingthelaws that apply to all registered charities.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

* The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust andultimately fulfiltheir essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Read further information about what the Commission does. * The Charity Commission issued the Official Warning on 4thMarch2026 under section 75A of the Charities Act 2011. * Registered charities must provide information annually to the Commission, the rules of which vary according to a charity's size and structure.All trustees arelegally responsible for making sure their charity's annual return is completed on time. * Political campaigning, or political activity by registered charities, must be undertaken by a charity only in the context of supporting the delivery of their charitable purposes. For more on campaigning and political guidance for charities, visithttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/speaking-out-guidance-on-campaigning-and-political-activity-by-charities-cc9/speaking-out-guidance-on-campaigning-and-political-activity-by-charities

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