On January 28th, hundreds of Sikhs lined up in California to cast their votes in the “Khalistan” Referendum, organized by the proscribed group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). This self-declared vote seeks to carve out an independent Sikh homeland from Northern India. While the SFJ touts this as a noble pursuit of self-determination, a closer look reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of both the principle and the necessary procedures for its legitimate exercise.