Senate polls: Panjab University sends reminders to six states

The polling booths of different constituencies of the PU senate are to be set up in Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan

Panjab University has again written to the governments of six states, where polling booths are to be set up, to seek their permission for conducting senate polls.

According to sources, the varsity again wrote to the state governments after they did not get any response from them. Mostly the polling booths of the registered graduate constituency are set up in different states. (HT FILE PHOTO)

The polling booths of different constituencies of the PU senate are to be set up in Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. Last month, the varsity had informed the office of the vice-president of India, who is also the chancellor of PU, that the process has been initiated by seeking permission from the six state governments.

According to sources, the varsity again wrote to the state governments after they did not get any response from them. Mostly the polling booths of the registered graduate constituency are set up in different states.

The development comes after the chancellor’s office sought a draft schedule of the senate polls. According to the letter written by PU on January 18 to the chancellor’s office, the varsity said that the final election schedule will be proposed after the receipt of permission from the respective states.

Polls delayed due to pandemic

The polls were earlier scheduled to start in August last year, but they were postponed twice by vice-chancellor Raj Kumar due to the pandemic. The last senate polls were held in 2016.

The senate is a 91-member apex governing body of the university. While 36 senators are nominated by the chancellor, two are from the Punjab legislative assembly, six are ex-officio members and the remaining 47 are elected.

The four-year term of the previous senate ended on October 31 last year. The term of the syndicate, PU’s executive body, also ended on December 31. Its members are elected from among the senators. Hence, the university is now functioning without a governing body.

The preparation for the conduct of senate polls have already been initiated by PU. A university official said that the varsity was mulling over reducing the number of polling booths amid the pandemic.