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Chandigarh: Rakhi break, shorter campaign window put PU campus poll players on the clock
The Rakhi break, candidates say, could further fragment the electorate. Students leaving campus on August 28 may not return before polling day, potentially reducing participation and giving an advantage to organisations with an already established cadre
With Panjab University’s (PU) student elections scheduled for August 31, the unusually short campaign window has left smaller student outfits and independent candidates racing against time, with the Rakhi festival falling just three days before polling adding another hurdle.
While established organisations such as National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Association of Students for Alternative Politics (ASAP) and Sath have an existing network of student workers, smaller outfits largely depend on department-to-department visits, hostel canvassing and personal outreach, something candidates say will be difficult to manage across the university’s 74 departments in a limited period.
Muskan Chauhan, a research scholar and Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) (HPSU) candidate, said the timing of the elections could affect canvassing as well as voter turnout. “Rakhi is on August 28 and many students will leave for their homes. This means student leaders will get even less time to reach out to voters,” she said.
Former PUCSC (NSUI) president Archit Garg termed the shortened election schedule “very unfortunate” and said it could result in lower voter turnout.
“The campaigning window has been reduced every year. In 2025, elections were held on September 3, while in 2024 they were held on September 5. The election date is being moved earlier every year even as admissions are getting delayed,” Garg said.
He added that the problem is compounded by the fact that classes for first year students in several departments have not yet started. With a significant number of freshers yet to become part of regular campus life, candidates have a narrower pool and fewer opportunities to physically reach out to them.
“The gap between admissions and elections keeps shrinking. Admissions are delayed, but elections are being preponed. With 74 departments, it becomes difficult to conduct proper door-to-door canvassing in such a short period,” he said.
The Rakhi break, candidates say, could further fragment the electorate. Students leaving campus on August 28 may not return before polling day, potentially reducing participation and giving an advantage to organisations with an already established cadre.
Rajat Nain, national vice-president of Indian National Students Organisation (INSO), said the shortened window should not pose much of a challenge if parties have already finalised their candidates.
“If the party candidates have already been decided, this should not pose much of a problem to student leaders or party members,” he said.
For the smaller players, though, this year’s election is shaping up to be less about how many students they can convince and more about how many they can physically reach before the campus empties out for Rakhi.
