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THE moderate slate headed by Malkit Singh Dhami defeated the Sikh Sangat Sevadar slate headed by Joga Singh Sangha in Saturday’s election for the executive council of Vancouver’s Ross Street Gurdwara (Khalsa Diwan Society) by about 700 votes. Dhami received 4,370 votes, while Sangha garnered 3,685 votes. Total valid votes cast were 8,089 with 47 spoiled votes. The votes ranged from 4,370 to 4,291 for the Dhami-led slate, and from 3,685 to 3,603 for the Sangha-led slate. The Sikh Sangat Sevadar slate in a message on Wednesday to all its supporters said that they “gracefully accept the defeat” and thanked them for their dedication. They added: “We congratulate Mr. Dhami and his slate on a hand fought election. We hope that Mr. Dhami and his slate bring forth the change that we need to progress as a community.” The moderate slate: President: Malkit Singh Dhami (4,370 votes) Senior Vice President: Mohan Singh Gill (4,371) Vice President: Nasib Kaur Badyal (4,323) General Secretary: Jarnail Singh Bhandal (4,336) Assistant General Secretary: Harbhajan Singh Sunner (4,330) Recording Secretary: Harsimran Singh Aujla (4,297) Assistant Recording Secretary: Gurdeep Singh Hayer (4,313) Treasurer: Sukhwinder Singh Gill (4,336) Senior Assistant Treasurer: Pal Singh Bisla (4,344) Assistant Treasurer: Jarmanjit Singh Hundal (4,291) Members at large: Tarsem Singh Bal (4,320), Chuhar Singh Dhillon (4,303), Gurdial Singh Gadey (4,308), Raghbir Singh Kular (4,304), and Surjit Singh Minhas (4,303) The Sikh Sangat Sevadar slate: President: Joga Singh Sangha (3,685 votes) Senior Vice President: Gurpal Singh Birak (3,567) Vice President: Sarwan Singh Bhullar (3,613) General Secretary: Lakhbir Singh Khangura (3,622) Assistant General Secretary: Avtar Singh Sandhu (3,608) Recording Secretary: Daljit Singh Khabra (3,640) Assistant Recording Secretary: Santok Singh Suri (3,617) Treasurer: Manjit Singh Cheema (3,597) Senior Assistant Treasurer: Surjit Singh Bhatti (3,591) Assistant Treasurer: Gurmej Singh Purewal (3,635) Members at large: Makhan Singh Johal (3,612), Iqbal Singh Sandhu (3,612), Navjit Kaur Randhawa (3,626), Makhan Singh Bassi (3,616), and Tirath Singh Sandhu (3,603). ON Monday, President Dhami along with Senior Vice President Mohan Singh Gill and General Secretary Jarnail Singh Bhandal on behalf of their slate reached out to all members of the sangat, including Sikh Sangat Sevadar slate’s leader Joga Singh Sangha and all the supporters of that slate, appealing to them to unite and help them. In a statement they said the election had been a “fair, peaceful and well-organized process” with which everybody is happy. They added: “It is not our [slate’s] victory, but it is a great responsibility that the ‘sadh sangat’ has put on our shoulders. We promise the ‘sadh sangat’ that we will do our best to serve you physically, mentally and financially. We 15 members of the new executive plus past president Kuldip Singh Thandi, who as the former president will serve on the executive as a director, can’t do without the help of all the respected ‘sadh sangat.’ Please help us. We are your humble servants and without your help we can’t achieve anything.” They said: “We equally respect Mr Joga Singh Ji and all members of that slate and all the members who voted for them. Now … we represent everybody. It does not matter for whom somebody voted. We invite everybody to attend all functions of the Khalsa Diwan Society and give us your valuable opinions and suggestions. We will do our best to solve the issues which were raised in the election.” They added: “We are thankful so much to all residents of Banga village of Nawanshahr district who, like every time, serve the ‘sadh sangat’ with service of ‘Shree Akhand Path Sahib” and ‘Guru ke Langar’ for three days from Friday to Sunday on election day. On September 10, about 11,000 members of the ‘sadh sangat’ took ‘Guru ka Langar’ at gurdwara sahib. We are thankful so much to all ladies, men and youth who did great service that day. All the Banga village residents are happy so much to serve the ‘sadh sangat’ that they have booked the same dates to serve you next year on September 8, 9 and 10, 2017.” Source - http://www.voiceonline.com/dhamis-moderate-slate-wins-ross-street-gurdwara-election-reaches-out-to-all-the-congregation-sikh-sangat-sevadar-slate-accepts-result-update/