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There is no concept of Autocracy in Sikhism i.e. no authenticity of so called post of Jathedar to take single handed decisions for the whole community. He is just a paid priest to take care of the facilities at there and working only at a level almost equal to a class 2nd or 3rd grade employee of govt of India. Even Sikh Rehat Maryada or Sikh Gurudwara Act 1925 doesn't legalize any power of so-called Jathedar of a building.

People who are illogically supporting this medieval concept of autocracy (due to their own hidden motives) use to give some out of context reference of Akali Phoola Singh as Jathedar of Akal Takhat during the govern of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. However, if facts be studied in real senses, Akali Phoola Singh was not the Jathedar of Akal Takht, but Jathedar of Millitary of Nihung Singhs who used to take care of day-to-day activities at Akal Bunga (it was indeed not a Takhat but Bunga i.e. simply a building of some associated importance).

There is no historical proof of even the existence of so called autocratic seat or Takhat and its Jathedar. Always there was a Bunga only since the time sixth guru who built it (which remained lost in time till the tenth Guru being not the central seat but in the hands of Sodhi Meharban's clique or Sodhi Har Ji) but later somehow emerged as a place where on yearly basis Sikhs used to gather and take decisions with consensus on the larger issues related to Panth (not on day to day issues).

If some Jathedar reference is referred from one or other historical texts from post-Guru period to pre English period then there was a Jathedar of the group (Jatha) of Singhs who used to stay there merely to take care the daily services at Bunga and in cases for its protection from small attacks in that disturbed period... (In English period till 1920, there was a Sarabrah i.e the chief caretaker of the arena.) The job of that Jathedar (or Sarabrah) was limited just to ensure the proper functioning of that particular arena and was never ever considered to behave like a pro-Guru of Sikhs, which is otherwise completely Anti-Gurmat, too. Guruship is confined with Guru Granth Sahib only, and under the guidance of that divine eternal light, only Sarbat Khalsa is authorized to take decisions on issues concerned to whole community.

Prof. Kawaldeep Singh Kanwal