Former deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also served as the chief of the Shiromani Akali Dal party, began serving his punishment on Tuesday by wearing the plaque while in a wheelchair at the entrance of the revered Golden Temple in Amritsar.

The 62-year-old was punished by the Akal Takht – the highest temporal body of Sikhs – for allegedly favouring convicted self-styled 'godman' Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in the 2007 sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib – the holy religious scripture of Sikhism.

Amritsar: A day after the Sikh clergy pronounced the 'tankhah' (religious punishment) for Sukhbir Singh Badal, the Shiromani Akali Dal leader on Tuesday performed the duty of a 'sewadar' or volunteer outside the Golden Temple here.

Holding a spear in one hand, Badal, in blue 'sewadar' uniform, was at the entrance of the Golden Temple in his wheelchair, serving his punishment. He has a fractured leg.

Akali leader Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, who was also in a wheelchair because of his age, underwent the same punishment, while former Punjab ministers Bikram Singh Majithia and Daljit Singh Cheema washed utensils.

Small boards hung around the necks of Badal and Dhindsa, acknowledging their "misdeeds". Both leaders served as 'sewadar' for one hour.

Pronouncing the 'tankhah' (religious punishment) for Badal and other leaders for the "mistakes" committed by the Shiromani Akali Dal government in Punjab from 2007 to 2017, the Sikh clergy at the Akal Takht on Monday directed the senior Akali leader to serve as a 'sewadar', and wash dishes and clean shoes at the Golden Temple.

Akali leaders including Prem Singh Chandumajra, Daljit Singh Cheema, Surjit Singh Rakhra, Sohan Singh Thandal, Bibi Jagir Kaur, Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal and Balwinder Singh Bhundar cleaned washrooms of the Golden Temple.

The Sikh clergy had directed several Akali leaders including the rebel ones to clean washrooms at the Golden Temple from 12 noon to 1 pm, and then clean utensils at the community kitchen after taking a bath as a part of religious punishment.

Before the pronouncement of the edict, Sukhbir Badal admitted his mistakes, including pardoning Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh in a 2007 blasphemy case during the SAD's rule in Punjab.

The punishment came nearly three months after Sukhbir Badal was declared 'tankhaiya' (guilty of religious misconduct) by the Akal Takht.