Chandigarh: After nearly two years without an elected Senate, Panjab University’s long-awaited electoral process finally gets under way Monday, marking the beginning of elections to the institution’s apex decision-making body following months of uncertainty, protests and political intervention.The first phase of the seven-stage Senate elections will see principals and staff of technical and professional colleges vote for six seats, three each in the two constituencies. Fourteen candidates are in the fray, with polling set to be held across 22 booths in Chandigarh and eight districts of Punjab.Polling will take place from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm. Scrutiny and counting for the two constituencies are scheduled for Sept 9.The elections assume significance as they mark the restoration of the Senate’s electoral process after the previous elected body completed its four-year term on Oct 31, 2024. The prolonged vacuum that followed became one of the most contentious issues on campus, triggering sustained student protests and a wider debate over the university’s governance structure.Students under the banner of Panjab University Bachao Morcha launched a 96-day agitation in Oct 2024 demanding immediate Senate elections. The protest ended in Jan 2025 after assurances that Punjab govt representatives would be involved in discussions on proposed reforms.The issue flared up again in Nov 2025 when proposed changes to the university’s governance framework sparked another major agitation. The proposals sought to alter the composition of the Senate and reduce elected representation, drawing strong opposition from students, teachers and alumni. Although the proposed changes were eventually withdrawn, demands for restoration of the electoral process continued.After 26 days of protests, the election schedule finally received the chancellor’s approval in Nov 2025, paving the way for the polls that begin Monday.The principals’ constituency has nine candidates in the fray: Balbir Singh Jamwal, Manjeet Kaur, Monika Kapoor Verma, Pardeep Kumar, Pargat Singh Garcha, Pawan Kumar, Rohtash, Sapna Nanda and Vidhi Bhalla.Five candidates, Ajay Kumar, Gurmit Singh, Lilu Ram, Suresh Kumar and Vipul Kumar Narang, are contesting the three staff seats.In Chandigarh, polling will be held at Govt Home Science College, Sector 10, Homeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Sector 26, Govt College of Education, Sector 20, and Govt Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32. The remaining polling stations are located in Abohar, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Moga, Sri Muktsar Sahib and SBS Nagar.The election process will continue through Sept before concluding with faculty elections on Oct 4.
