PU V-C playing with fire by delaying senate polls: Cong leaders
The senate polls were postponed on October 15 for the second time amid apprehensions that the governing structure of the university could be changed
By delaying the Panjab University (PU) senate elections vice-chancellor Raj Kumar is playing with fire, former student leaders of the institute who are now members of the Congress party said here on Tuesday.
Punjab Congress leaders Kuljit Singh Nagra, Dalvir Goldy and Brinder Dhillon, president, Punjab Youth Congress were present at the Students’ Centre to address the media over the poll delay.
“PU is the crown of Punjab and the state’s consent is a must for any change in its structure.The V-C has started playing with fire,” Nagra said.
A number of colleges in Punjab are affiliated to PU. “The senate and syndicate of PU maintain checks and balances in the functioning of the university. It is an autonomous body elected by the stakeholders of the university,” he added.
The senate polls were postponed on October 15 for the second time amid apprehensions that the governing structure of the university could be changed.
The Congress members said V-C was coming up with excuses to delay the polls while trying to set up a board of governors. “This is a blatant attack on the university’s autonomy,” they said.
“We have come together for the sake of the University. Now Covid-19 cannot be an excuse to postpone the polls as several other elections are being held,” said Goldy.
The senate is an “example of democracy and each representative of all the stakeholders is a part of the body. If the governing structure is changed it will hurt all the stakeholders,” Dhillon added.
The polls, initially scheduled for August 24, were postponed by the V-C for the second time on October 15 even as the term of the senate ended on October 31, leaving PU without its supreme governing body.
Earlier on Monday former senators and members of the PU syndicate held a protest on campus, demanding that the elections be held immediately.
