PU election: Dates out, poll fervour picks up
Chandigarh, August 23
Atmosphere at Panjab University suddenly got charged as the university authorities announced the Panjab University Campus Students Council (PUCSC) elections. The Dean, Students Welfare, Prof Amit Chauhan, said the elections would be held on September 5 and around 16,000 students would be eligible to cast vote. The exact number has not been provided by the authorities as final admissions to many courses is pending.
“Security has been beefed up on the campus and around 150 police personnel have been deployed. Around 40 more security guards will be engaged for round-the-clock patrolling on the campus,” said
Prof Chauhan.
The model code of conduct comes into effect right after the authorities announce the elections, but the USO held a conference at the coffee shop of the Student Centre, while members of the NSUI gathered at the same location to display their strength. The university authorities claimed that the student leaders took advantage of the “buffer time” as the instructions were yet to be conveyed to them.
Moreover, the NSUI leaders distributed printed bookmarks with photos of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru on them, and “JOIN NSUI” with a contact number written over. The election guidelines do not allow the circulation of printed material for canvassing, especially once the elections have been announced.
However, the DSW said, “The formal announcement of the elections happens in a press conference after which the written guidelines are sent to the colleges, departments and everyone concerned. This takes some time. The student leaders were informed formally at 2:30 pm in an all-party meet. Now, every action will be noticed and nobody will be allowed to flout the norms.”
Considering the safety of women, the university has directed the student leaders to not canvass in the girls’ hostel in groups. The DSW also said if two cars with the sticker of the same organisation are parked together, action will be taken against the students.
