DC hints at fresh orders for PU polls if needed

Time of India

20 hours ago

Chandigarh: Outsiders and unlawful elements trying to disturb peace by assembling at Panjab University campus ahead of student polls could face action under Section 144 already in force in Chandigarh, deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav said.
This came hours after SSP Kanwardeep Kaur affirmed that the order was in force in the city during a meeting with PU student leaders and officials.
The deputy commissioner clarified that the provision was not meant to restrict student campaigning for PUCSC elections, but added that the situation would be reassessed and if required, specific orders for the polls would be issued.
Section 144 is already in force in Chandigarh.
It was imposed from July 7 for 60 days, up to and including September 4. SSP Kanwardeep Kaur made this clear during her meeting with university officials and student leaders at the Student Centre on Monday. Dean, student welfare, Prof Amit Chauhan said that when students asked about prohibitory orders, the SSP told them Section 144 was already operational in the city. As a Union Territory and capital of two states, Chandigarh often attracts protesters from Punjab and Haryana, making such an order necessary to deal with volatile situations.
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DC Yadav, who imposes Section 144 as the District Magistrate, said the provision could be applied on the PU campus if outsiders or unlawful elements gathered to create trouble, and violations would draw action under Section 188 of the IPC. "We will reassess the situation regarding PU polls and, if needed, pass specific orders. The situation is being closely monitored," he said.
Security has been under scrutiny in recent days.
PU officials said that cricket bats, sticks and a few sharp-edged weapons were recovered during recent police-assisted raids in hostels. Similar articles have been found in vehicles during naka checks on campus. Karan Parmar, a student of Gandhian and Peace Studies, requested that such checks be carried out by PU security staff instead of the police.
The DSW later said the request had been conveyed to the police, adding that if anything objectionable was found, it would be handled by police, while routine checks would be done by PU security.
Prof Chauhan said that students have been told rallies will not be tolerated and two or more cars from the same party will be treated as a rally. Vehicles with party stickers are barred from entering the campus.
In the meeting, Ambedkar Student Association president Gautam Bhoria raised concerns over anonymous social media pages "going below the belt" with defamatory and trolling content aimed at students. The SSP advised them to report such pages to the cyber cell for action.
PU has seen politically charged incidents before. In November last year, when Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann visited the campus, 14 students were booked after a clash with police. A student was killed on campus in March. Confrontations between rival student groups have also led to FIRs recently. With the elections expected in early September, officials say the the current Section 144 order provides a baseline for security, with room for tighter, poll-specific restrictions if outsider-fuelled disturbances threaten campus peace.
BOX-
Students asked that vehicle checks be handled by PU security instead of police, with police stepping in only if objectionable items are found
Students raised the issue of defamatory anonymous social media pages and sought cyber cell action
Police-assisted hostel raids have yielded bats, sticks and sharp-edged weapons.
Naka checks on campus have recovered sticks and similar items from vehicles.
DSW instructed that two or more cars of the same party moving together will be treated as a rally, and no vehicle with party stickers will be allowed inside the campus.
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