Decks cleared for Panjab University student body polls on Sept 3

Full schedule to be announced soon, though the student body elections are a colourful affair, marked by passionate speeches, rallies and novel campaigning methods, the downside is that the campus sees a visible spurt in violence cases in the run up to the polls; varsity wants to get back to academics soon

With tensions rising on campus and authorities keen on getting the focus back on academics, Panjab University (PU) has decided to hold the student council elections on September 3, though the official announcement is yet to be made. The full schedule, including the dates for nomination, will be released by the dean students welfare (DSW) in the coming days.

PU has been seeing one protest after the other ever since the new academic session started in July. (HT File)

PU has been seeing one protest after the other ever since the new academic session started in July. First, students were miffed over mandatory affidavits for freshers that barred them from holding dharnas without permission. Later, students protested over the curbs imposed on women hostel residents by limiting their night outings. And most recently, students staged a three-day dharna from August 13 to 15 over the increased police presence on campus, stating that it amounted to increased surveillance on students.

Though the student body elections are a colourful affair, marked by passionate speeches, rallies and novel campaigning methods, the downside is that the campus sees a visible spurt in violence cases in the run up to the polls.

This year, as an anticipatory move, Chandigarh Police have identified 106 individuals, including the incumbent student council’s president and members of various student outfits, as potential troublemakers who could disrupt the peace during the poll process. They have been told to sign a ₹10,000 bond, promising to maintain peace on campus, and in case they are found involved in any instance of campus violence, they will face immediate arrest.

PU vice-chancellor Renu Vig said, “We wanted an early date for the elections, and Panjab University Teachers Association (PUTA) will also hold their polls on September 2, so we hope that the campus can go back to academics early as well.”

While PU officials said that the official letter regarding the election date announcement from the UT administration hasn’t reached them yet, officials from the administration and UT police confirmed that September 3 has been finalised as the date for the polls. The date was first sent for approval by the V-C to the administration on August 5. The UT senior superintendent of police (SSP) has written to the UT home secretary that the police have no objection to holding the polls on September 3, and adequate police will be deployed for maintenance of law and order. The letter was sent on August 19.

Vig further said, “While the date won’t fall before a holiday, we plan to have a working Saturday before the election week and declare a holiday on the day after the election so that the situation remains manageable on campus after the polls.”

Some officials added that the next hearing date for the affidavit issue in the Punjab and Haryana high court is on September 4. The students were also keen to get the elections conducted before this to ensure nothing adverse about the student polls comes in the order of the hearing.

Meanwhile, DSW Amit Chauhan said that once they officially receive the letter from the administration to hold the election they will chalk out the detailed schedule including the date for filing nominations and for withdrawal. Poll code will be imposed once the PUCSC polls are declared by the DSW, which is expected in the next couple of days.

Students fear low turnout

While the election will be scheduled on a weekday, former PUCSC vice president, Archit Garg who is now working on this year’s National Students Union of India (NSUI) campaign said, “If a holiday is declared on Thursday, and with the weekend ahead we don’t expect that we’ll see a good turnout. From around 18,000 voters we see around 10,000 voters show up on the polling day. With increased police deployment on campus, we expect that the voter turnout this year will be reduced further.”