Chandigarh, November 15: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday directed Panjab University students to return to their studies, asserting that academic operations should not be stalled due to electoral disputes. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry, said the university’s administration must not be disrupted “at the altar of electoral aspirations.”
The order came during the hearing of an application by former university senators, including HS Dua, who sought court directions for notification of senate elections. The plea, filed as part of a petition pending since 2024, raised concerns about the delay in announcing election schedules following the expiry of the senate’s term on October 31, 2024.
“Please attend classes for some days…then we will hear this case,” the court said, urging students to prioritize their education. The bench added, “Why are students these days so interested in elections? They are there to study. Allow that to happen.”
Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain, representing the Centre, told the court that the government had already withdrawn the notification for restructuring the senate after student protests. He said organizing elections is a complex process due to 3.5 lakh registered graduate voters spread across multiple states and union territories, including Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, and Chandigarh.
He assured the court that the Centre intended to hold elections, but stressed the need for a “cordial atmosphere” on campus. Jain added that the schedule could be presented by the next hearing on December 16.
The court compared the situation with Madhya Pradesh, where university elections were not held for five years, yet academic activities continued smoothly and both students and faculty were satisfied. While disposing of the application, the bench urged authorities to expedite the election process but clarified that it could not set a specific timeline.
Since the expiry of the senate in October 2024, no elections have taken place. A notification issued by the Centre on October 28 proposed restructuring the senate and syndicate while eliminating graduate constituency polls, sparking protests from students and criticism across Punjab. The notification was later withdrawn on November 7, restoring the old governance system. Protests intensified on November 10, with farmer organizations and political parties joining students on the Chandigarh-Mohali border, demanding an announcement of the election schedule.
