Panjab University Students Continue Protests Amid Senate Election Unrest

Panjab University students protested demanding Senate elections, following the central government's withdrawal of a controversial Senate restructuring notification. Despite the rollback, student agitation persists, as they push for immediate election announcements to reshape the university's governing body.

On Monday, students of Panjab University staged a protest within the university premises in Chandigarh, demanding the announcement of Senate elections. The day began with a heavy police presence surrounding the campus, with barricades placed at the university's entrances.

The students are pressing the university administration to conduct the long-overdue Senate elections to reconstitute the 91-member governing body. The controversy erupted following a central government notification intended to restructure the Senate, leading to significant political and academic uproar over dismantling the existing governing bodies and implementing an executive-driven structure.

In response to mounting opposition, the Central Government rescinded its Senate and Syndicate restructuring notification on November 5. Despite this retraction, student groups maintain their protests, calling for a prompt election announcement. The revised notification, issued by the Ministry of Education's Department of Higher Education, nullified the previous order that was considered contentious both politically and legally. This order had initially been challenged by the Punjab Government, which described it as 'unconstitutional'.

(With inputs from agencies.)