E-Paper
Polling for PU senate finally concludes after a year’s delay
The counting of votes for PU senate’s registered graduate constituency will begin on Monday, after which result will be declared
With the second phase of polling for the registered graduate constituency completing on Sunday, voting for the Panjab University (PU) senate elections finally ended after a year’s delay.
On Sunday, polling was held at 61 booths for the registered graduate constituency, which has over 40 candidates in fray. According to the information shared by the varsity, 10,508 of the total 73,804 voters turned up, a polling percentage of 14.24%.
“The voting at the booths went smoothly,” university authorities said.
In the first phase, polling was held at 211 booths with a 14.66% voter turnout. The counting of votes for the registered graduate constituency will begin on Monday at the gymnasium hall of the university, after which result will be declared.
Polling for seven of the total eight constituencies is already over and 32 of the 47 candidates have been elected. The remaining 15 will be from the registered graduate constituency.
The elections, which began on August 3, were first scheduled in August last year, but were postponed by vice-chancellor (V-C) Raj Kumar due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The move and further delays 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 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 pandemic’s second wave.
Former senator DPS Randhawa, who is contesting from graduate constituency, said, “This is a win for the democracy, and we congratulate all voters and alumnus who have showed faith in this governing system.”
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.
