Chandigarh police resorted to a lathicharge (using canes) to scatter a crowd of students and activists who were protesting at the Panjab University (PU) campus. The demonstration was part of a planned shutdown demanding that the authorities announce a date for the long-overdue PU Senate elections.

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The Core Conflict: Demand for Campus Democracy

The unrest centers on the university’s top decision-making bodies, the Senate and Syndicate, which are traditionally chosen through an electoral process. The student groups, mobilized under the banner of the Panjab University Bachao Morcha, are insisting on the restoration of campus democracy.

This continued agitation comes despite the central government’s recent decision to withdraw a contentious notification that would have converted these elected bodies into nominated ones. While the rollback was welcomed, protesters argue that the decision is meaningless without a concrete timeline for the elections. They view the Centre’s initial proposal as an attack on the historic university’s autonomy and the country’s federal structure, a sentiment particularly strong among groups from Punjab.

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Election Delay and Administrative Hurdles

The previous term for the PU Senate expired on October 31, 2024. Since then, the university administration has been waiting for the election schedule, which must come from the office of the Chancellor—a position held by the Vice-President of India.

According to reports, the PU administration has drafted and submitted a proposed election schedule to the Chancellor’s office on four separate occasions over the past year, but has not received a response, stalling the electoral process.

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Political and Security Response

The protests culminated in a confrontational scene as demonstrators attempted to push past barricades and enter the university premises, prompting the police to use force to disperse the crowd.

The agitation has garnered significant political support from various regional leaders. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann (Aam Aadmi Party) has publicly backed the students, characterizing the delay as a maneuver by the ruling party to seize control of the institution. Leaders from the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), including high-profile figures like SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal and the President of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), have also visited the site to express solidarity with the movement.

Meanwhile, the university’s administration, through the Dean, Student Welfare (DSW), held discussions with student organizations—excluding those affiliated with the ABVP—urging them to maintain peace and ensure the university is not damaged during their agitation.