Chandigarh, October 10
The UT Administration has given its nod to conduct of elections to Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) and its affiliate colleges for 2022-23 on October 18.
The elections will be held after a gap of two years, owing to Covid pandemic. Over 10 students’ political groups will be in the fray.
The PU Vice-Chancellor, meanwhile, has approved the minutes of the meeting of a committee to look into students’ request for two years of upper age relaxation for contestants.
“Two years of upper age relaxation be given to students contesting election to the PUCSC and its affiliate colleges in Chandigarh for 2022-23 as the PUCSC election could not be conducted in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19. The relaxation in upper age will be a one-time exemption only for 2022 and cannot to be quoted as a precedent in the future,” stated an order by the VC.
The UT Administration also ordered restriction on entry of outsiders on the campus during the elections. “The university will be held responsible for any kind of violence, created by outsiders, who are not bona fide students of the university,” read an order. It further stated: “No student organisation will be allowed to organise rally (car rally, protest) without prior permission of Chandigarh Administration or Chandigarh Police.”
The university authorities have been asked to repair non-functional CCTV cameras installed at various gates. The directions come at time when student political groups have already started campaigning for the elections.
With the announcement of elections, politicians of various outfits from Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh are expected to reach here. Keeping this mind, the Chandigarh Police are likely to take over the campus security on October 12. Sources claimed the police have already planned surprise checks in hostels and march past on the campus.
Meanwhile, the ABVP has announced Harish Gujjar as its presidential candidate in the upcoming elections. Gujjar is associated with students’ politics since 2015 and pursuing studies in master programme in governance and leadership.
