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Go back to your classes: HC to protesting PU students
The application was moved in an ongoing petition, pending since 2024 – when the senate term ended – seeking the declaration of the schedule of the senate election
In a stern message to protesting Panjab University (PU) students, the Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday asked them to go back to their classes and let academic activity resume.
Taking up an application filed by former senators of university, including HS Dua, seeking directions for the notification of senate elections, the bench of chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sanjiv Berry made it clear that the university’s “academic functioning cannot be sacrificed at the altar of electoral aspirations.”
The application was moved in an ongoing petition, pending since 2024 – when the senate term ended – seeking the declaration of the schedule of the senate election.
“...there is every likelihood of tinkering with the governing soul of the university, in cohorts with the university administration,” the fresh plea said, seeking HC’s urgent intervention.
Appearing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General of India, Satya Pal Jain told the court that the Union government has already withdrawn the notification for restructuring of the senate, in wake of students protests. The exercise to issue notification for the election schedule is underway, he further said, adding that the process is cumbersome as approximately 3.5 lakh registered graduate voters are spread across Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and Chandigarh.
He assured the court that the Centre wants to hold the elections, but pointed to the ongoing protests on campus. “For elections, you need a cordial atmosphere,” he submitted, while adding that by the next date of hearing on December 16, the schedule could be placed before the court.
The court asked the petitioners to allow resumption of academic activity. “Please go back to your classes. Attend classes for some days .. then we will hear this case..,” the bench remarked. To this, the counsel for the petitioners clarified that the petition has been filed by former governing body members and not the students.
“Why are students these days so interested in elections? They are there to study. Education is being imparted, allow that to happen,” the bench further remarked.
As the petitioner’s counsel pointed out that the absence of elections is impairing the administration, the bench asked the counsel as to what is more important “examinations or elections”.
The court also drew parallels with Madhya Pradesh, noting that no university elections were held there for five years, “yet academic activities were held peacefully and everybody including teachers and students were happy….”.
The court disposed of the application and said that in the order, it would ask authorities to expedite the process of election. The court, however, made it clear that it cannot give any timeframe for the same. Detailed order is awaited.
Senate term expired in Oct 2024
The senate term expired on October 31, 2024, and since then elections have not been announced. On October 28, the Centre came out with a notification announcing the restructuring of the senate and syndicate; and doing away with graduate constituency polls for senate. It met with criticism in Punjab following which, students also launched a protest. Consequently, on November 7, the Centre withdrew the notification, effectively restoring the old system of governance at the 143-year-old institute. On November 10, however, widespread chaos was seen across the tricity, particularly on Chandigarh-Mohali border, as farmer organisations and political parties stormed into PU in support of students sitting on protest to press for declaration of the election schedule.
