Syndicate directs PUCASH panel to start probe into complaints filed by Senator against PU V-C

The directive to the committee came after the Syndicate took congnisance of the letter dated June 14, 2017, sent from the office of the Chancellor. (File)

The recently constituted Panjab University Committee Against Sexual Harassment (PUCASH) have been directed to commence the inquiry into the complaints filed by a Senator against the PU V-C, at the earliest and complete it within the stipulated period and submit its report directly to the Chancellor. The directive to the committee came after the Syndicate took congnisance of the letter dated June 14, 2017, sent from the office of the Chancellor to the Joint Secretary, MHRD.

Syndicate also noted from an earlier MHRD letter dated September 18, 2015, that the ‘Employer’ and the ‘Disciplinary Authority’ are to be treated as one and the same. Disciplinary Authority of the Vice-Chancellor is the Chancellor, who is also the Chairman of the Senate, the appointing authority of the complainant professor. Thus, the PUCASH report sought to go directly to the Chancellor.

The Syndicate expressed serious concern that a sitting member of the Senate wrote a letter dated September 5 in dual capacity as president, PUTA, in which she has made unfounded and unacceptable allegations against an officer attached to the Chancellor and the Registrar. The Syndicate found it objectionable that the facts have been distorted mischievously and with mala fide intention to mislead the Chancellor.

The Syndicate condemned the false allegations levelled by a sitting member of the Senate against the senior officers, who were discharging their duties towards PU.

A committee under the Chairmanship of Professor DVS Jain, Fellow, PU, and comprising other Senate members Sardar Tarlochan Singh, Professor Pam Rajput, Ambassador IS Chadha and VK Sibal have been constituted to look into the issue further so that such episodes do not reoccur in the future. The Syndicate also noted that complainant’s act had compromised the image of the University and its governing bodies.