Panjab University senators write to chancellor to extend term of senate

This comes two days after the senators had sought intervention of Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh

With the Panjab University (PU) senate polls being postponed, the senators have urged the chancellor of the varsity to extend the term of the present senate, which will end on October 31.

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Over 35 senators have written to the vice-president of India, M Venkaiah Naidu, seeking extension in the term of the senate till the next senate is formed.

This comes two days after the senators had sought intervention of Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.

In the letter to the chancellor, the senators said that as the term of the PU senate would end on October 31, the university cannot function in vacuum without the governing body being in place in accordance with the statute. “The powers available to the vice-chancellor under the provisions of the PU calendar, to be used in emergencies, can, by no stretch of imagination, be construed to be used without any situation of emergency for months together overriding the governing bodies, which are supreme,” reads the letter.

The letter to chancellor states that in the best interest of PU and all its stakeholders, you are requested to extend the term of present senate till the next senate is formed as per the PU calendar.

The senate is the apex governing body of PU with 91 members, out of which 36 are nominated by the chancellor. The senate polls were postponed by vice-chancellor Raj Kumar for the second time on October 15 in wake of the pandemic. The senate polls were earlier scheduled to begin from August 24.