Chandigarh, Nov. 5 — Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday announced that his government will approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging a notification issued by the central government that restructured the governing bodies of Panjab University, Chandigarh.
“The Punjab government will approach the high court against the issuance of a notification unconstitutionally dissolving the Senate and Syndicate of Panjab University, Chandigarh. A panel of the country’s eminent and specialist lawyers will be formed to tenaciously fight against this act of high-handedness,” Mann posted on X.
Mann said the issue would also be raised in the state assembly in the coming days to reinforce Punjab’s position constitutionally.
The controversy stems from an October 28 notification issued by the BJP-led Centre that trimmed the size of Panjab University’s apex governing body, the senate, from 97 members to 31, and ended elections for its executive body, the syndicate. Until now, syndicate members were elected from among the senators.
The Chief Minister had on Sunday criticised the Centre’s move, calling it “dictatorial” and an overreach. “The central government does not have the power to amend the Panjab University Act, 1947, through a notification. Any amendment in the Act must be done either by the state assembly or Parliament,” he said, describing the action as a “Nadar Shahi farman (arbitrary decree).”
Panjab University, established in 1882, has functioned with a senate of 97 members and an elected syndicate. The central government’s notification marks a significant change in the governance of the 142-year-old institution, which has sparked political and legal opposition from the Punjab government and other politival arenas.
