Citing improvement in the state’s Covid situation, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has written to Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu, who is also the Chancellor of Panjab University, seeking early elections to the university senate, as the inexplicable delay in polling is causing resentment among the various constituents of the institution.
In a letter to the Chancellor, the Chief Minister has urged him to advise the Panjab University administration and the Chandigarh administration for proper and timely conduct of elections to the senate of the university.
Stressing that failure to conduct elections to the senate, whose current term ended on October 31, is not only annoying, but also against the canons of good governance and the law, the Chief Minister said, “There is substantial resentment among the teachers, professionals, technical members, and graduates of the university and representatives of various constituencies for the senate elections.”
Besides, there are legislators from the Punjab state legislative assembly and ex-officio members such as the Chief Minister, Education Minister, and the DPI (Colleges) of the state, who represent the Punjab government, he pointed out, adding that it is hence strongly felt that the elections should be held without any delay.
Noting that the university administration and the government of India had felt that the situation was not conducive to hold elections due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Amarinder Singh said the situation has improved now and elections to the legislative assemblies and various other urban and rural local bodies have been held across the nation.
“True, there is a need to ensure compliance of the protocols which have been evolved in the last few months to contain the pandemic and there should be no reason for the university administration and even the administration of Union Territory of Chandigarh or the state government not to comply with these,” he added.
