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Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 1
After the withdrawal of nominations for the Panjab University student elections on Friday, students parties have been left with only a day for effective campaigning on September 4. This has irked the student outfits, who are crying foul over it.
As the university will remain closed on Sunday and it was a holiday on Saturday, a number of hostel inmates have left for their homes. On September 3, the university will again remain closed on the account of Janmashtami, leaving only a day for campaigning.
Adding to their woes, teachers are going on a strike on September 5, so many students may not come to the university. However, rallies have been planned for this day. The polls will take place on September 6. “Effectively, we are left with only one day. This has never happened in the recent past,” said Vicky Middukhera, president of the city unit of the Students’ Organisation of India (SOI).
On Saturday, candidates campaigned at Student Centre, canteens and hostels. In hostels, they approaching every room. “I am witnessing it for the first time that only single day has been left for campaigning,” said Manoj Lubana, an NSUI leader.
UIET holds key
The University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET) holds the key in the elections. It has 15.8 per cent of the votes. This time, there is no presidential candidate from this department unlike the previous years.Despite that, there are maximum four candidates from the UIET. Two of them are fighting for the secretary’s post while one each are contesting for the posts of the vice-president and the joint secretary posts.
The University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS) has 1,345 students (8.7 per cent of the total). Three students from the department are contesting the elections this time. Ashish Rana from the ABVP is the only candidate who is contesting for the post of the president. The Department of Laws has 1,050 students (6.8 per cent). Only Pardeep Singh from the NSUI is contesting from the department.
The election stats
Department No. of students
UIET: 2,451
UILS 1,345
Department of Laws: 1,050
UICET 739
Physics 600
UBS 442
Education 401
Chemistry 386
UIPS 340
Economics: 339
UIHMT 336
UIAMS 335
Computer Science: 329
Total students 15,541
Total booths 162
Total dept representatives 124
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