The long-pending Senate elections at Panjab University have finally been approved, bringing an end to weeks of uncertainty and continuous protests on campus.
The Chancellor and Vice President’s Office on Thursday issued a notification giving a formal green signal to the election schedule earlier submitted by the university.
Panjab University’s Senate, which functions on a five-year term, had completed its tenure on October 31, 2024. However, the Centre had dissolved the previous Senate before a new one could be elected, leaving the university without its key governing body for over a year. The delay had triggered strong reactions from teachers, students and various campus groups.
For the past 25 days, the PU Bachao Morcha had been staging a sit-in inside the campus demanding immediate announcement of the election dates. Several organisations also held marches and had called for a university shutdown on November 26 to press for their demands.
The protesters had warned that if the government failed to announce the schedule, they would gherao all BJP offices across Punjab on December 3. Even before the planned siege could take place, the Vice President approved the election dates, leading to celebrations among the protesting groups.
Secretary Sarita Chauhan confirmed that the elections will be held exactly as per the schedule the university had already proposed. The announcement has brought relief to all stakeholders, many of whom said the prolonged delay had affected policy decisions and overall functioning of the university.
Student organisations have now announced a “victory march” on the campus tomorrow to mark what they describe as a major win for democratic rights and university autonomy. They said the approval is the direct result of the sustained pressure put on the administration.