Plea in HC seeks Panjab University senate elections on priority; campus comes to a standstill

The petition lists recent government actions. On October 28, 2025, the Centre issued a notice to shrink the senate and replace many elected seats with appointed ones. Students and teachers protested. The Punjab Government also opposed it.

On November 4, one notice was withdrawn, but another with the same changes came the same day. After more protests, the Ministry of Education cancelled both changes on November 7, saying it had heard from everyone involved. Still, no senate exists. The last one ended on October 31. In an earlier case, the university said that running without an elected smaller body (syndicate) for over a year had hurt daily work and harmed students badly.

The plea says that the vice-chancellor told a newspaper on November 8 that a new election plan was ready and would be sent to the chancellor for approval. But the plea says past delays make this hard to trust. The chancellor was given a final chance to reply in March 2025, but has not done so in over seven months.

The plea says some people tried to end the elections to control the university. It asks the court to:
•       Order the university to announce the election schedule now
•       Make sure the schedule is followed
•       Allow copies of documents instead of official ones
•       Give any other help the court thinks is needed

Copies of the plea have been sent to the university and others. No MP or MLA is part of the case.

Students kept the campus shut on Monday, saying they will not open the gates until firm election dates are announced. “We want action, not promises,” a student leader said outside the main gate.