Sikh temple election votes upheld

An election at a Sikh temple in Yuba City, challenged in court over allegations that included two people in a voting booth at the same time, was upheld Monday by a Sutter County Superior Court judge.

"We're not here to impose our values on a religious organization," Judge Perry Parker said in turning down the challenge by current temple president Didar Bains to the Sept. 6-7 election at the Sikh temple on Tierra Buena Road.

Parker said it's possible people who may not have understood English were being assisted by others, accounting for more than one person in a voting booth.

A total of 73 directors were elected last month. Their taking office in January is expected to end Bains' presidency.

Tejinder Dosanjh, who won election, welcomed the ruling.

"We are glad justice prevailed," Dosanjh said outside the court.

Help from family members led to instances of more than one person in a voting booth, he said.

Attorney Michael Barrette, representing Dosanjh and several other directors, said the legal challenge Bains undertook is among matters done without approval by the temple board of directors.

If that trend continues, Barrette said, he plans to seek to have new directors installed immediately.

About 50 temple members attended the Monday court hearing.

Mark Steidlmayer, the attorney representing Bains in the challenge to the temple vote, said of issues surrounding the September voting that "It's a matter of philosophy."

"I think any election should be as pure as one can make it," Steidlmayer said.

Questions had arisen about the fairness of the September election, he noted, adding that now, "Everybody ought to turn their time and energy so these mistakes don't happen again."

More than 3,000 people voted in the temple election that Dosanjh said cost the temple about $125,000. Expenses included security, an accounting firm and the work of TrueBallot of Merced.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Ryan McCarthy at 749-4707 or rmccarthy@appeal-democrat.com.