Return to classes, high court tells protesting PU students

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today disposed of a plea seeking immediate declaration of the Panjab University Senate election schedule, asking students to return to their classes and expressing hope that the polls will be held “as expeditiously as possible”.

A Division Bench, headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, also made it clear that Panjab University’s academic functioning “cannot be sacrificed at the altar of electoral aspirations”. The assertion came as

the Bench, during the course of hearing, reminded the students that their primary aim was uninterrupted education. “We would like to remind the students that their admission to the university by their parents is to ensure proper education. Therefore, to gain knowledge should be their prime concern,” the court observed.

The Bench added that the elections were not the primary motive or objective of the university. The Bench was assisted in the matter by Additional Solicitor-General of India Satya Pal Jain, who appeared for the respondent-Chancellor.

The court virtually admonished the protesting students earlier during the hearing, directing them to return to their classes before the matter could be taken up again. “Go back to your classes, attend your classes for at least seven days and then we will hear this case,” the Chief Justice asserted after being told that the student agitation had disrupted academic activities on the campus.

When the counsel argued that the Central Government had converted an academic body into a political field, the Chief Justice cut in: “Are we talking about an academic body or a political body?” The Bench added that the aim was to impart education and that objective was being lost.

The Bench drew a comparison with Madhya Pradesh, noting that no university elections were held there for five years, “yet academic activities were held peacefully and everybody including teachers and students was happy”.

The petitioners argued that the university administration had repeatedly delayed the elections despite strictures passed earlier against the Vice-Chancellor for obstructing the institution’s democratic processes.

The counsel for both parties exchanged sharp words, with one side accusing the student union of staging dharnas and the other alleging political motivation behind the petition.

Amid sustained protests on the PU campus demanding immediate announcement of Senate polls, a fresh application had been filed earlier in the week seeking directions to Panjab University and other respondents to notify the schedule for elections to various Senate constituencies. The applicants alleged that vested interests opposed to facing the electoral process had manipulated the administration to derail the university’s democratic and heritage fabric. It was submitted that the new Senate’s term was to commence on November 1, 2024, but the schedule had still not been notified. Applicant Harpreet Singh Dua, through counsel R Kartikeya and R Akanksha, contended that there was “deliberate foul play” in the delay and sought an inquiry to fix accountability on officers who had “maliciously and deliberately” stalled the schedule.