Finally, Panjab University senate is going to polls

Polling for two of the eight constituencies of Panjab University senate will be held on August 3; 28 booths have been set up across Punjab and Chandigarh

Finally, elections to the Panjab University senate, which are pending for a year, will begin on Tuesday with polling for two constituencies.

The senate, which is Panjab University’s apex governing body, comprises 91 members, 47 of whom are elected from eight constituencies.

While five candidates are in the fray from the constituency of principals of technical and professional colleges, which has 52 voters, four are contesting from the constituency of staff of technical and professional colleges, which has 789 voters. The voting will take place at 28 polling booths that have been set up across Punjab and Chandigarh. Three members will be elected to the senate from each of these two constituencies.

“We have already given training to the polling staff regarding the Covid-19 protocol. Presiding officers have been instructed to adhere to the norms, and observers have been appointed as well,” said PU registrar-cum-returning officer Vikram Nayyar.

The senate, which is the varsity’s apex governing body, comprises 91 members, 47 of whom are elected from eight constituencies. The remaining are either nominated or ex-officio members. The four-year term of the previous senate had ended on October 31, 2020. Since then, PU has been functioning without a senate.

The elections were first scheduled in August last year, but were postponed by vice-chancellor (V-C) Raj Kumar due to the pandemic. The move and further delay even courted controversy with seven former senators moving the Punjab and Haryana high court on December 22, seeking directions to PU to hold the polls. After the high court (HC) in April this year pulled up the V-C for the delay, the polls were scheduled from April 26, but had to be postponed again in view of the Covid-19 second wave.

On July 8, the HC had directed the varsity to place on record the senate election schedule by July 16. The revised polling dates were proposed by the varsity thereon and got the nod from Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, who is the PU chancellor.

After August 3, voting for the constituencies of professors and associate/assistant professors of the university teaching departments will take place on August 10. The registered graduate constituency, which is the largest with 3,61,869 voters, will go the polls on August 18 along with the constituencies of heads and associate/assistant professors of affiliated arts colleges. Voting for the constituency of faculties will be held last, on August 23.