E-Paper
Panjab University senate: Vice-President rejects election of six candidates
Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu orders Panjab University registrar to conduct re-poll after finding discrepancies in the voters’ list
Over six months after the Panjab University senate elections concluded, in an unprecedented decision, Vice-President of India M Venkaiah Naidu has refused his approval to the election of all six candidates of the constituency of faculties.
Finding discrepancies in the voters’ list, as also highlighted by the losing candidates, Naidu, who is the university chancellor, directed, the PU registrar to immediately issue a fresh notice of polling for the constituency.
The six candidates, Navdeep Goyal, Ashok Goyal, Rajesh Gill, Keshav Malhotra, Ronki Ram and Anu Chatrath, all from the Goyal group and former senators, were declared elected for the six seats of the constituency of faculties after the election on September 1, 2021.
However, two of the losing candidates, Anju Suri and Gurpal Singh, and some teachers filed petitions against the elections, pointing out flaws in the voters’ list, delaying the notification of the winners’ elections.
In his order, the PU chancellor stated that a situation had emerged where the voters’ list was not updated, ineligible voters were allowed to vote and some eligible voters could not vote.
“Taking all aspects into consideration, I am of the opinion that the elections...have not been held as per the extant regulations and need to be held afresh by strictly adhering to the regulations,” the order reads.
“We will take the necessary action as per the order,” said PU registrar, Vikram Nayyar, who was the returning officer for the elections.
The elected candidates of the other seven constituencies have already been notified by the chancellor.
Notably, the senate has already conducted three meetings in the absence of the members of the constituency of faculties. However, the syndicate elections have not been held.
Election was held after one year delay
The elections were originally scheduled to be held in August 2020 but were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. After the notification of the elected members of the constituency of faculties was delayed, a plea was also filed by some PU teachers in the Punjab and Haryana high court, demanding that the election of six senate members from the faculty constituency be notified by the varsity.
The winning candidates, in their response to the petitions filed against their election, had informed the chancellor’s office that the petitions were not filed within 10 days from the date of election. They had also stated that the petitioners had erroneously argued that the provisions of Chapter II (B) of PU Calendar did not apply to the election of faculties.
Order not shared with us, say candidates
The candidates said the order had not been shared with them so far.
Ashok Goyal, one of the winning candidates, said it was surprising that the order had been circulated, but not issued to them. He alleged that the election to the senate from faculties was not approved by the chancellor as part of a conspiracy and it needed to be unearthed how the second-highest constitutional office in the country was influenced.
He said it was shameful that a constitutional office at the highest level was misused for political motives, adding that the democracy of a pioneer academic body like Panjab University had been murdered.
Another winner Navdeep Goyal said, “Crushing the democratic system and verdict of voters, which was not to the liking of some persons having vested interests, is the most heinous act committed by them. The Chancellor’s office should have been more vigilant and cautious of such forces while taking such a decision, which has not even been conveyed to the affected parties.”
Keshav Malhotra, another candidate, said, “With this decision, people’s faith in PU’s democratic system will be shaken. The forces within, which have been trying to damage the functioning of the university, have succeeded in their nefarious designs by using their influence at the higher offices.”
