E-Paper
PU senate: Multi-cornered contest in two constituencies
While 11 candidates are in the fray from the constituency of heads of arts colleges, 15 candidates are contesting from the constituency of teachers
The election of the two constituencies of affiliated arts colleges in Panjab University (PU) senate is throwing up prospects of a multi-cornered contest with candidates being fielded by different groups.
The polling for the constituencies of both heads and teachers of affiliated arts colleges will be held on August 18 (Wednesday) across Chandigarh and Punjab. Eight members will be elected to the senate from each of these constituencies.
While 11 candidates are in fray from the constituency of heads of arts colleges, 15 candidates are contesting from the constituency of teachers. Different groups have fielded their candidates and from both the constituencies and some are contesting independently.
The constituency has a total of 2,423 voters. In the constituency of teachers, Harpreet Singh Dua, Jagdeep Kumar, KK Sharma, SS Gill, Shaminder Singh Sandhu and Surinder Kaur have been fileded from the Goyal group. Independent candidates include Inderpal Singh Sidhu, Jagtar Singh, Madhu Sharma, Manoj Kumar, Mukhtar Singh, Raj Kumar and Tarun Ghai.
While Bindu Dogra is from DAV group, Jagdish Chander is associated with the BJP group.
Inderpal Singh Sidhu said, “I will work for the reimplementation of Service Security Act for unaided staff and I will get contractual services of 1,925 teachers regularised and try to stop their exploitation at the hands of management.”
11 in fray from constituency of heads
A multi-cornered contest is also expected in this constituency that has eleven candidates in fray and 58 voters. While Balwant Singh Sandhu is from Sangha group, Gurjinder Singh Brar, Iqbal Singh Sandhu and Kirandeep Kaur belong to Goyal group.
NR Sharma and RS Jhanji are from BJP group, and Nisha Bhargava and Rajesh Kumar Mahajan are contesting from DAV group. Jatinder Kaur and Rupinder Kaur are contesting independently, and Kuldeep Kaur Dhaliwal has been fielded by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
Schools available on Sundays for setting up polling booths
The State Council of Educational Research and Training, Punjab, has informed PU that schools can be made available for setting up of booths for senate polls on Sundays.
However, they have said that this would exclude August 29 (Sunday), as an examination of the department of corporation is scheduled that day.
The development comes after PU postponed polling for the registered graduates’ constituency citing non-availability of booths in Punjab and Haryana.
In an earlier communication sent to PU, the council had asked the varsity to either choose alternative locations for setting up of booths or reschedule elections on a holiday.
