Panjab University extends senate elections to May 19

CHANDIGARH: In view of the spike in the Covid-19 cases, Panjab University (PU) has rescheduled the date of election of six ordinary fellows from various faculty from April 26 to May 19.
The timings of the meeting of the faculty will be informed by the registrar. There is no change in the date of elections of the other constituencies.
Vikram Nayyar, officiating registrar, PU, said given the number of members in each faculty, it was difficult to conduct physical meeting (which is a mandatory component of election), in the light of the restrictions imposed on physical gatherings by the UT administration, Chandigarh. It was, therefore, decided to hold formal meetings of faculty in an online mode, and accordingly a notice of the revised timing and mode of meetings and election of faculties was scheduled for April 26.
Further, the office received representations from some of the members of the faculty to postpone the elections as they expressed their inability to participate in the election process due to the surge in the cases. Concerns have also been expressed about the validity of online meeting of faculty in the absence of any explicit provision in the PU calendar.
“After seeking legal opinion on the issue to avoid any complication at a later stage, the competent authority rescheduled the polling to May 19,” said the registrar.
However, Puta members said there are no words needed to explain in detail the conduct of those having politically motivated interests.
“The elections have been postponed before less then 48 hours. Their only agenda is to delay and defeat the democratic process,” allege members of Puta.
The total number of candidates at faculty constituency are 12 with six booths and 754 voters will decide the fate of the candidates.