EDUCATION

PU bid to form academic bodies
Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 9
Panjab University is making another sincere attempt to constitute the duly elected academic bodies which have hung in balance for approximately an year following an election controversy in the graduates’ constituency of the Senate elections.

The syndicate elections are scheduled for December 30. Interestingly, this is scheduled a day after the Senate meeting scheduled for December 29.

In the month of September, the Syndicate elections were scheduled for September 29 and the Senate meeting was scheduled a day later. Following a decision of the Punjab and Haryana High Court over the pending issue of election in the graduates’ constituency, the university postponed the Syndicate elections.

In another development, the faculties are scheduled to meet on December 31 to elect the Deans and secretaries of different faculties. At the moment, there are no regular board of studies. There should be 54 board of studies which are currently nominated by the Vice Chancellor.

The university also does not have a regular board of Finance.

The business of board of studies includes clearing the syllabi and introducing changes if any. The board also decides introducing new subjects. The matter then goes to the Academic Council, which incidentally exists on the campus.

Another list of academic planners missing on the campus are the added members. Each member of the Senate has two major and minor faculties. Any interested teacher can apply for the post. The ballot papers are then sent to the fellows. Two members then propose the name of one added member in each opted faculty. Only in the Law Department, a non-teacher can come.

The main reason for the non existence of the academic bodies in question has been the petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court over eligibility of Dr Ajaib Singh in the graduates constituency. While the issue of eligibility has been now referred to the Chancellor, the High Court announced that counting for the elections be done.

Interestingly, in the results Dr Ajaib Singh has made it to the Senate. At least four different petitions which include two of duly elected fellows in the same constituency have been written to the Chancellor challenging the election of Dr Ajaib Singh.

The university has already sent its election report to the Chancellor. However, a formal reply over the petition and the approval over the elected graduates is still awaited from the Chancellor.

Workshop for teachers ends
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 9
Teachers from different secondary and senior secondary schools participated in a four-day workshop for school teachers which concluded at the State Institute of Education in Sector 32 here today. The workshop was organised to develop materials on “adolescence education in schools” by the population and development education cell of the institute.

The Director of the institute, Ms Surinder Kaur Tangri, presided over the valedictory function. Ms Surinder Tangri said, “The school teachers can play a vital role in providing information regarding population education and education among the adolescents.”

“The material developed in the workshop would enable the teachers to convey the message of population education, reproductive health, small family norms, menace of AIDS and adolescent growth and development,” added Ms Tangri.

The workshop was held under the guidance of Coordinator, population and development education cell, Ms Jaswinder Kaur.

Ms Jaswinder Kaur said, “If properly sensitised, these children would grow up with full realisation of gravity of the situation arising from population explosion.”

Divali by tiny tots
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 9
Tiny tots of Tender Heart School in Sector 33-B celebrated Divali by offering prayers to Goddess Lakshmi here today.

Children were made aware of the hazards of crackers and were motivated to enjoy peaceful and safe Divali. 

COURTS

HIGH COURT
Set up cell to probe farmers’ complaints
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 9
Taking suo motu notice of a news report published in The Tribune on the forcible deduction of money by the commission agents from farmers for paddy sold by them, Mr Justice Mehtab Singh Gill of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today directed the state of Punjab and other respondents to set up a cell in the vigilance department for receiving complaints from all over the state.

Issuing directions, Mr Justice Gill also directed that the head of the cell would be an officer not below the rank of Superintendent of Police. Punjab’s Chief Secretary has also been directed to issue an advertisement in three newspapers, including The Tribune, asking the farmers to come forward with their complaints in form of affidavits regarding the amount deducted by the commission agents.

Mr Justice Gill also directed the issuance of notices to the state of Punjab, the Chief Secretary, Director-General of Police, Inspector-General of Police (Vigilance), President of Bharti Kisan Union of Rajowal and Lakhowal and another respondent to show cause why legal action should not be initiated against the commission agents, millers, transporters and officials of the procurement agencies for demanding illegal gratification and cheating the farmers.

The Judge also asked them to show why “the licences of such commission agents be not cancelled if it was established that they had deducted any money from farmers for paddy sold to the procurement agencies which, as per the report, is to be paid to the officials of the procurement agencies”.

Stay on SGPC resolution

Issuing notice of motion for November 22, a Division Bench of the High Court today stayed the operation of a resolution passed by the SGPC for reconstituting the management committee of Mata Gujri College at Fatehgarh Sahib.

The orders were issued by the Bench, comprising Mr Justice G.S. Singhvi and Mr Justice M.M. Kumar, on a petition seeking directions to the SGPC and other petitioners against reconstituting the managing committee before the expiry of the five-year term starting from November 1998.

Octroi case hearing

A bunch of petitions filed against the Punjab government’s decision to abolish octroi in the state will come for further hearing before a Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Mr Justice Jawahar Lal Gupta and Mr Justice Ashutosh Mohunta, on November 19.

Seeking the vacation of stay, Advocate-General Hardev Singh Mattewal today contended that the writ petition was not maintainable as it could not be entertained before the actual issuance of the proclamation.

Claiming that power to impose tax was with the legislature, he added that courts could not issue a mandate to a legislature to enact a particular law. Referring to a judgement delivered by nine Supreme Court Judges, he submitted that it would be wholly impermissible either to interdict the issuance of the proclamation or its operation till a final verdict on its validity was pronounced. The AG added that the courts were also precluded from inquiring into the propriety of the exercise of legislative power. The motives of the legislature in passing a statute was beyond the scrutiny of the Court, he added.

Change in nursing uniform remains

With Army Headquarters amending the uniform of Military Nursing Service (MNS) officers yet again, the High Court today declined to grant a stay on the Army order issued on September 11, which stipulated a change in their uniform from olive green shirts and trousers to white coats.

Dismissing the stay application, Mr Justice V. K. Jhanji observed that there are no grounds to grant a stay because the grievances of the petitioners has already been redressed through an Army Headquarters letter dated October 25. It states : “The nursing officers coat will be worn in summer on the inner, which could also be a terrycot shirt without shoulder straps, provided that no part of the shirt will be visible when the coat is worn.” The letter adds that during winter the coat will be worn over an angola shirt and jersey, or over a beige shirt with a maroon tie.

The September 11 order, which is being contested by the MNS officers, had only mentioned that the coat will be worn over “inners”, with no provision for a shirt to be worn underneath.

CULTURE

Masti mesmerises audience
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, November 9
Noted singer Ashok Masti of the “Punjabian di ho gayi wah bhai wah” fame enthralled the city audience at the techno dance party organised by the Chandigarh Press Club in assocation with Daava, an event management company on the club premises in Sector 27 here tonight.

Though the programme started with a delay, Masti, with his powerful stage performance, managed to warm up the audience with his peppy dance numbers “Masti Masti” and “Ratti tera tol me”. Masti’s performance was further enhanced by a Chandigarh-based danced troupe “Cancerian”.

Ashok Masti, who shot to fame with albums like “Munde Bikao Ne”, “Yeh Hai Masti,” and “Masti Hi Masti”, entered the Punjabi pop arena in 1990. He has been trained in Indian classical music by Vijay Sachdeva and Sharan Ahuja.

The well-known DJ, Bhanu, with both western and Punjabi pop, entertained the audience, who later joined the singer and the dance group on the dance floor. Surinder Sharma, a noted actor and comedian, compered the show.