Akali Dal, also termed as Shiromani Akali Dal (Akali Religious Party), is a Sikh political party mainly based in Punjab, India.

It was formed on 13 December 1920 after the formation of SGPC (Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee), a religious body formed as a result of movement to secure Sikh Gurdwaras from corrupt priests. So in a sense Akali Dal considers itself as a religio-political party and principal representative of Sikhs. Sardar Sarmukh Singh Chubbal was the first president of the Akali Dal but it was under Master Tara Singh that Akali Dal became a force to reckon with.

They launched Punjabi Suba agitation to get a Sikh majority state made from undivided Punjab based on language under the leadership of Sant Fateh Singh. In 1966, Punjab was formed but its division led to bitter conflict as neither parties were satisfied. Akali Dal came to power in Punjab but many a times their governments were dismissed by the Congress Party ruling at the federal level.

The Dal's chief opponent in the state is the Indian National Congress. Its political ally in the state and at the Centre is the Hindutva Bharatiya Janata Party. Since Punjab is about 65% Sikh, the SAD needs the support of as many Hindus as the BJP can get to form lasting administrations, and the BJP needs the SAD to bring as many parliamentary seats from Punjab as it can to form a Union government.

Akali Dal's history is also full of divisions and factionalism. Each faction claims to be the real Akali Dal. As of 2003, the SAD headed by Parkash Singh Badal was the largest faction and the one recognized as having the name SAD by the Election Commission of India.Other factions have included Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal led by Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Shiromani Akali Dal (Simranjit Singh Mann) (also called SAD (Amritsar)), and Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthik) led by Amarinder Singh (which later merged with Congress), Shiromani Akali Dal Delhi, Shiromani Akali Dal (Democratic), Haryana State Akali Dal and the Shiromani Akali Dal (Longowal).

In the fall of 2003 the Badal and Tohra factions reunified.

The basic philosophy of Akali Dal is to give political voice to Sikh issues (Panthic cause) and it believes that religion and politics go hand in hand.

At the February 2007 Punjab state elections, the Shiromani Akali Dal won 48 of the 117 seats, becoming the largest party in the Assembly. The alliance of the SAD and BJP took over the state government from the Congress Party, with Badal as chief minister. http://www.rulers.org/2007-02.html