Frequently Asked Questions
Referendum is the process of direct balloting to get the decision of a community on a straightforward political question or proposition requiring to be answered as YES or NO. While the Referendums could be held on constitutional or legislative questions, the most commonly known use of Referendums is to determine and resolve the territorial and sovereignty issues over a geographical region. Through referendums several nations have achieved independence. Most recently, South Sudan was created as an independent country through referendum. Scotland and Quebec both have held referenda on the question of independence from the UK and Canada, respectively.
Punjab Independence or Khalistan Referendum is a campaign to liberate Punjab, currently occupied by India.
Through voting among the global Sikh community and the people living in Indian Punjab on the question "Should Indian Governed Punjab Be An Independent Country?", the campaign aims to ascertain the will of the Sikhs living anywhere and Punjabis living in Indian Punjab people with regards to secession of Punjab from India and to establish an independent country. The referendum will advance the consensus among the indigenous people of Punjab on the question of sovereignty and the results of the Referendum will be presented to the United Nations seeking a UN supervised official referendum for the independence of Indian held Punjab.
Through voting among the global Sikh community and the people living in Indian Punjab on the question "Should Indian Governed Punjab Be An Independent Country?", the campaign aims to ascertain the will of the Sikhs living anywhere and Punjabis living in Indian Punjab people with regards to secession of Punjab from India and to establish an independent country. The referendum will advance the consensus among the indigenous people of Punjab on the question of sovereignty and the results of the Referendum will be presented to the United Nations seeking a UN supervised official referendum for the independence of Indian held Punjab.
The objective of the Punjab/Khalistan Referendum campaign is to give the indigenous people of Indian held Punjab an opportunity to vote on the future and continued association of Punjab with the Union of India. Once an overwhelming majority of the Punjabi people express the wish through ballot for independence from India, United Nations and other international forums will be approached with the goal to hold an official and binding referendum for establishment of Indian Punjab as a sovereign nation state.
An official referendum has an outcome that is legally binding on all parties involved. In Sudan, the United Nations administered a referendum on the question of establishing South Sudan as an independent sovereign country in which an overwhelming majority of voters opted for independence and hence that mandate of the people was accepted by both the parties, and implemented by the United Nations. However, Punjab Referendum is an unofficial referendum where the outcome is not legally binding . Yet with an overwhelming YES vote this unofficial referendum will start the process which will pave the way for conducting an official and binding referendum in Indian held Punjab thereby achieving independence through democratic, peaceful and non violent means.
The official referendums that grant independence and create separate countries are
conducted by:
a) The state or Union currently governing a territory agrees to hold a vote on the question of secession and independence. Canada and UK agreed and held the referenda giving the people of Quebec and Scotland the right to vote on the question of independence; OR
b) UN intervenes and negotiates an agreement between a nation demanding
independence and the country occupying its territory, to let the people of the land
vote on the question of independence.
conducted by:
a) The state or Union currently governing a territory agrees to hold a vote on the question of secession and independence. Canada and UK agreed and held the referenda giving the people of Quebec and Scotland the right to vote on the question of independence; OR
b) UN intervenes and negotiates an agreement between a nation demanding
independence and the country occupying its territory, to let the people of the land
vote on the question of independence.
Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations grants the right to self-determination to all peoples. International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and The International Covenant on Economic and Cultural Rights also guarantees the right to self-determination for all peoples. Under UN laws, nations with a separate religion or language have the right to self-determination and can seek a referendum to gain independence from the country occupying their territory. India has signed and ratified all the UN laws that guarantee the right to self-determination to the people on the basis of separate religion and language.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in Article 21(3), provides that the will of the people expressed through votes polled in secret and adult franchise, shall be the sole basis of the authority of government. Hence, all people have the fundamental and inalienable right to determine whether they wish to continue their lands and lives governed by the same Union or they wish to sever their ties from the Union and establish an independent country.
In light of Article 1 of the UN Charter & ICCPR and Article 21(3) of UDHR, Khalistan Referendum is a completely lawful and democratic campaign.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in Article 21(3), provides that the will of the people expressed through votes polled in secret and adult franchise, shall be the sole basis of the authority of government. Hence, all people have the fundamental and inalienable right to determine whether they wish to continue their lands and lives governed by the same Union or they wish to sever their ties from the Union and establish an independent country.
In light of Article 1 of the UN Charter & ICCPR and Article 21(3) of UDHR, Khalistan Referendum is a completely lawful and democratic campaign.
Khalistan Referendum is the initiative of advocacy group "Sikhs For Justice" (SFJ). The voting is being conducted under the supervision of a nonaligned panel of experts on direct democracy - the Punjab Referendum Commission (PRC) PRC's mandate is to supervise and monitor the Referendum Question, voter eligibility, registration, balloting, tabulation and counting to ensure the compliance with international standards.
The voting for Khalistan Referendum started on October 31, 2021 from London, United Kingdom and has so far taken place in Switzerland, Italy, Australia, Canada.
Outside India:
The voting outside India will be held in all the countries/cities with significant Sikh population.
Inside India:
In India, the voting will be held in the State of Indian Punjab.
In India, the voting will also be held in other cities/districts/areas of India outside Punjab with a significant Sikh population.
Outside India:
The voting outside India will be held in all the countries/cities with significant Sikh population.
Inside India:
In India, the voting will be held in the State of Indian Punjab.
In India, the voting will also be held in other cities/districts/areas of India outside Punjab with a significant Sikh population.
For Voters Living In Indian Held Punjab:
- Must be 18 Years or older on the day of voting
- Must be indigenous Punjabi of any faith or religion living in Indian Held Punjab.
For voters living outside Indian Punjab (Overseas or Other States/Areas of India), the eligibility is:
- Must be 18 Years or older
- Must be a Sikh
NOTE: For voting outside Indian held Punjab, only SIKHS are eligible to vote. For voting inside Punjab, indigenous people of all faiths and religions living in Punjab are eligible to vote.
- Must be 18 Years or older on the day of voting
- Must be indigenous Punjabi of any faith or religion living in Indian Held Punjab.
For voters living outside Indian Punjab (Overseas or Other States/Areas of India), the eligibility is:
- Must be 18 Years or older
- Must be a Sikh
NOTE: For voting outside Indian held Punjab, only SIKHS are eligible to vote. For voting inside Punjab, indigenous people of all faiths and religions living in Punjab are eligible to vote.
