Ending a nearly two-year wait, the restructuring of Panjab University’s (PU) senate officially began on Wednesday with the election of six representatives from the technical and professional colleges constituency. A fully complete governing body is still a few weeks away, however, with the remaining constituency elections scheduled to conclude on October 4.
Three representatives each were elected from the principals and staff categories. From the principals category, Sapna Nanda (Chandigarh) was elected with one vote, while Vidhi Bhalla and Pargat Singh Garcha, both from Punjab, secured 11 votes each. From the staff category, Suresh Kumar (Chandigarh) secured 111 votes, Vipul Kumar Narang (Punjab) 141 votes and Gurmit Singh (Punjab) 113 votes. The results are subjected to the approval of the chancellor.
A total of 41 votes were polled in the principals category, of which 40 were valid, while 515 votes were polled in the staff category, with 486 declared valid. The six elected representatives mark the first completed leg of the phased election process to reconstitute the Senate.
The next phase is scheduled for September 14, when the teaching faculty of PU’s departments will vote. Scrutiny and counting for these constituencies will take place on September 16.
On September 20, elections will be held for three constituencies — heads of affiliated arts colleges, faculty of affiliated arts colleges and registered graduates. Their votes will be scrutinised and counted on September 22.
The final phase is scheduled for October 4, when six ordinary fellows will be elected by various faculties of the university. Polling and counting for this constituency will take place on the same day.
The senate’s previous term expired on October 31, 2024. Once elections across all constituencies are completed, the elected representatives will require the chancellor’s approval before the new senate can be formally constituted. The university has not yet announced a date for the first meeting of the reconstituted senate.
Thus, Wednesday’s result is only the first step in restoring the university’s elected statutory body after a gap of nearly two years.