Elected Dean on Saturday, Senator leaves faculty day after

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, November 18 

In a surprise move, Senator Inderpal Singh Sidhu, who was elected Dean, Design and Fine Arts, on Saturday, left the faculty concerned on Sunday, just a day after being voted to the post.

The Syndicate approved the change in faculties of 34 senators.  

Sidhu said, “I have checked the rules. I can continue till January 31. Earlier too, such a scenario has arisen.”

But if he is allowed to continue, then he will hold meetings of the Faculty of Design and Fine Arts of which he is not a member. And also, in December when Dean Elections for Design and Fine Arts faculty will take place, he cannot vote. But at the same time, the Dean has a vote in case of a tie. The rule says that a fresh vote shall be sought where the equality of votes makes it necessary during the elections for Dean. If the votes are equal after a second vote is taken, the Chairman (Dean) may exercise his casting vote.

Sidhu, assistant professor in Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Sector 26, will vote in the Syndicate and Dean elections as per his changed faculties. Earlier, he had science, law, education and design and fine arts. Now, he has arts, medical sciences, education, business management and commerce. 

Game starts as Navdeep group blocks medical faculty 

Of the 34 Senators who changed their faculties, 17 entered the medical sciences which implies that they can vote when Syndics have to be chosen from this faculty. Two Senators— RK Mahajan and NR Sharma— left the medical sciences too. So, the faculty effectively has 15 new votes. 

“Probably, it is an exercise to block me by the other group. Last time, there was a tough fight and I won. This time, the other group has shifted more members in medical sciences,” Senator Ashok Goyal said. 

Most members who shifted to the medical sciences faculty are from the Navdeep Goyal group. 

When faculties are assigned to Senators, they vote accordingly for the Syndicate elections. 

There are three seats each in arts, science and combined faculties and two each in law, languages and medical sciences faculties.