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A dispute between rival factions in the Penticton Sikh Temple and Indian Cultural Society appears to have been resolved by a judge.

Several members of the the temple challenged the results of a December 2023 Annual General Meeting they said underwent several irregularities. They allege one in five people attending the meeting weren’t actual members and they say there was no notice the board would be acclaiming or electing new directors and that two new directors weren’t actually members.

After the meeting, they allege the new board appointed new officers, changed the society’s registered office and cancelled the acclamation of members who opposed the move. Then they changed the locks and hired security to limit access to parts of the temple by the same group.

There was no mention in the decision, but shortly after the meeting, police were called to the temple during evening services to deal with non-members threatening worshippers with swords. A 23-year-old man was arrested but his identity was never released. 

Those left on the outside petitioned B.C. Supreme Court to have the results overturned but Justice Linda Loo found the actions of those now running the temple were not out of the ordinary.

She said the temple wasn’t required to give special notice, nothing bars non-members from attending the meeting and acclamations of non-members was confirmed by the board.

Loo did order that two people acclaimed to the board must become members or be removed as directors and said the locking of doors and hiring security was “not justified or reasonable.”

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