Panjab University’s students poll results out

CHANDIGARH - In a very close contest in the Panjab University Campus Students’ Council (PUCSC) elections here Friday, the alliance of the Panjab University Students Union (PUSU) and the Indian National Student Organisation (INSO) won three seats of the four-member panel.

The post of president went to Gurwinder Singh of the University Institute of Engineering and Technology (UIET) department. He managed to secure 3,182 votes and won by a margin of over 171 votes.

His nearest rival was Mohit Taneja of the Student Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) alliance.

Vibha of PUSU-INSO alliance won the vice-president post with 3,261 votes. The runner-up was Bhawika Sharma of SOPU-ABVP group with 3109 votes.

Major groups contesting the varsity elections were PUSU, SOPU, ABVP, INSO and National Student Union of India (NSUI).

The post of joint secretary went to Subhash Chawla of the PUSU-INSO coalition. He got 3,313 votes.

According to PU officials, there was over 50 percent voting.

PU campus, spread over an area of 550 acres here in Sectors 14 and 25, has around 60 teaching and research departments.

SOPU-ABVP alliance managed to win only one post, that of general secretary. It went to Akhil Bansal, who got 3240 votes.

In 2009, there was a clean sweep of SOPU-INSO alliance in the elections. This time, INSO contested with a different alliance partner and continued its winning streak.

PU campus wore a festive look after the announcement of results. Supporters of winning parties danced to the beats of Punjabi dhol and distributed sweets to express their joy.

PU is one of the oldest universities in India. It was established in 1882 at Lahore. In 1956, the university was relocated to Chandigarh.