Thousands Participate in Khalistan Referendum in Canada’s Edmonton, Organisers Report

Thousands of Sikhs participated in a Khalistan referendum in Edmonton, Canada, on October 18, with organisers reporting more than 23,000 votes cast during the event.

Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), the organisation behind the referendum, described the turnout as a significant demonstration of community participation. It said Sikhs travelled from across Canada, the United States and Europe to attend the gathering at the Alberta Legislature grounds.

The voting process was scheduled to run from 11am to 3pm, but organisers extended polling hours to allow people waiting in long queues to cast their ballots. The central question asked participants whether the Indian state of Punjab should become an independent country.

The event was held amid heightened security in response to reported threats. Organisers said they had refused to change the referendum’s date or venue despite the warnings. The turnout and vote count cited by SFJ have not been independently verified.

SFJ also referred to a warning reportedly issued by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation on October 15 concerning an imminent threat to the life of its general counsel, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Pannun was previously linked to a foiled alleged assassination plot in the United States in 2023, which US prosecutors connected to an Indian government employee.

The referendum forms part of a wider campaign organised by SFJ in several countries since 2021. The organisation presents the process as a peaceful exercise of the Sikh community’s right to self-determination. However, the referendum is organised by a private advocacy group and does not constitute an official vote recognised by the Canadian or Indian governments.

The event has also renewed debate over Sikh separatist activism, freedom of expression and diplomatic tensions between India and Western countries. SFJ maintains that its campaign is peaceful and grounded in international law, while the political status of Punjab remains an issue of disagreement.

The reported participation in Edmonton highlights the continuing mobilisation of sections of the Sikh diaspora around the demand for an independent Khalistan.