Uproar in PU after officials defer next phase of Senate polls

Uproar in PU after officials defer next phase of Senate polls

Poviet Kaur

Chandigarh:15.08.2021

Protests were held in Panjab University by various student organisations, former senators and candidates of registered graduates constituency in front of the VC office on Saturday, demanding elections for registered graduates. The varsity had postponed the elections on Friday.

The registered graduates constituency is the biggest in Panjab University with 3,61,869 eligible voters. It was to go to polls next. D P S Randhawa, one of the contestants from registered graduates constituency said, “This decision has been taken deliberately as they were doing in the past. The administration never wants democracy to prevail on campus and now they have found a way of not conducting polls, but we are not going to back off. We will make sure we get the date for polling.”

According to a notice issued, 272 polling booths had to be set up in seven states and UTs, including Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand and Delhi. Uttarakhand and Delhi failed to give permission for the elections, which were to be held on Friday, necessitating a postponement. As per the notice, even Haryana, which is supposed to have 29 booths, has lapsed on giving permission for at least seven booths, stating they are being used for Haryana Staff Selection Examinations at present. Punjab too, in a letter dated August 10, has reportedly communicated to the varsity that “the schools have opened only a few days ago and senate elections happen to be on a working day” while requesting the varsity to either choose alternative dates or reschedule the polls for a holiday.

“Therefore, due to circumstances stated above, which are beyond the control of the university, competent authority has ordered to postpone, for the time being, the election of registered graduate constituency,” the notice read. Mritunjay, the PUTA president said, “The administration must be knowing the issue from last15-20 days but they issued the notice last night, which clearly shows how irresponsible they are and how they want the democratic system to shut down in the university.”

Protest being held in PU against postponement of elections

If they don’t respond to us then we are left with the only choice that is taking them to the court. We want democracy which treats everyone equally but they put dictatorship rule and it will not work

ASHOK GOYAL

Former senator