Tell Panjab University to hold Senate polls: Sukhbir Singh Badal to Vice-President

Chandigarh, November 11

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal today requested Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu, who is also Chancellor of Panjab University, to direct its Vice Chancellor to hold immediate elections to its Senate due for the past three months.

He also requested Naidu to direct the university authorities to scrap purported moves to replace the elected apex governing body with a nominated Board of Governors.

Badal said the Senate elections were being put off in the name of Covid pandemic for two months after these were due on August 15. He said now, the elections had been put off indefinitely even as other elections, including those to the Panjab University Teachers’ Association, were held recently.

“This has lent credence to apprehensions that the university administration wants to scrap the Senate and appoint a nominated Board of Governors. While such a move may suit the authorities, it will harm the larger interests of Punjab. A nominated body will no longer be accountable to the people of the region,” he added. — TNS