PU polls 2023: No open house for 14th straight year

The open house was last conducted during the 2009 elections. It was stopped in 2010 due to the violent clashes that would follow after the event and outsiders would also enter the university, causing a law and order situation

For the 14th year running, there will be no open house debate between the presidential candidates for the Panjab University Campus Student Council (PUCSC) elections, slated for September 6.

CYSS supporters during the election campaign for their candidate at Student Centre in Panjab University on Saturday. (Ravi Kumar/HT)

The open house was last conducted during the 2009 elections. It was stopped in 2010 due to the violent clashes that would follow after the event and outsiders would also enter the university, causing a law and order situation. While student bodies, over the past 14 years, have repeatedly sought resumption of the event, authorities never reinstated them.

Open House used to be conducted two days before the election date, where all presidential candidates from different parties would share their ideology, past work and future vision in a 10-minute speech. This is where the students would really come to know who their leaders were. Students say half of the election was won through this debate.

Speaking about this, dean students welfare (DSW) Jatinder Grover said after the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Commission were adopted by Panjab University in 2012, the open house can no longer be allowed.

Both students and political leaders, however, are in favour of reinstating the debate. ABVP’s PU president Rajat Puri said, “An open house would be a great way for students to get to know the candidate better. We will pursue authorities to organise it for better engagement with voters about issues and proposed solutions.”

DSW warns parties against defacing campus

With campaigning getting underway ahead of the student polls, the DSW has issued a notice to all student parties, warning them against defacing the campus with stickers and other election paraphernalia.

The north campus is relatively clean with most stickers removed, however some are still present on the south campus, especially around the canteen near University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET).

On Saturday, the DSW also held a meeting to decide allotment of tents to parties on the PU campus for campaigning. The allotment will be done on lottery basis and will be carried out on Sunday morning.

Meanwhile, two days after a presidential candidate’s nomination was rejected over providing wrong date of birth, the DSW has decided to write to the PU dean of university instruction (DUI) over document forgery.

As per officials, the student’s nomination was cleared by his department, but an objection was received against his candidature. When his documents were scoured, document forgery and wrong date of birth were detected.

While his nomination was cancelled, it has also drawn a question on his admission to the department.