Place Senate poll schedule on record by July 16, High Court tells Panjab University

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 8

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today asserted that the Panjab University Senate elections were required to be held.

The Bench of Justice Augustine George Masih and Justice Ashok Kumar Verma also directed the PU to place on record the schedule for holding the elections by July 16.

The Bench said it was of the firm view that the direction issued by the single judge on holding the election was required to be complied with “keeping in view the present situation as it exists”.

The earlier orders were passed on May 13.

Acting on a petition filed by Prof Keshav Malhotra and others, Justice Fateh Deep Singh had earlier ruled that the orders putting off indefinitely Senate-2020 elections were passed to usurp its powers.

“The respondent, being the Vice-Chancellor, to usurp the powers of the Senate appears to have chosen a way out and in this scheme has managed to pass orders, thereby putting off the Senate elections, 2020, indefinitely…,” Justice Fateh Deep Singh had asserted.

The Bench, meanwhile, said the election process was required to be held at the earliest to prevent autocratic governance in the varsity, affecting its democratic functioning “which could be a scar on its reputation, being one of the oldest and prestigious universities of this country and internationally acknowledged as well”.