Now Reading: PU rejects nominations of two differently abled students for student council polls
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PU rejects nominations of two differently abled students for student council polls
PU rejects nominations of two differently abled students for student council polls
Panjab University has rejected the nominations of two differently abled students for the August 31 Campus Students' Council elections. Naresh Kumar, a visually impaired candidate contesting for general secretary from the Ambedkar…
Panjab University has rejected the nominations of two differently abled students for the August 31 Campus Students' Council elections. Naresh Kumar, a visually impaired candidate contesting for general secretary from the Ambedkar Students' Forum, was disqualified on age grounds despite seeking consideration under disability law. Jyoti Negi, a first-year master's student with a locomotor disability and scoliosis, had her nomination rejected for the DR seat due to 60% attendance, which she says was caused by mandatory physiotherapy sessions.
The Ambedkar Students' Forum claimed Naresh is the first visually impaired person to file for PUCSC polls. On Tuesday, ASF members protested at the Student Centre, alleging the university failed to act on disability law protections. Negi pointed to past relaxations for specially abled candidates and said she asks only for her constitutional rights. The candidates must now decide whether to appeal the rejection.
Indian Opinion Analysis
PUCSC elections are conducted under Panjab University's own Ordinances, which set age and attendance criteria. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, mandates reasonable accommodation for disabled candidates, but universities often resist applying it to student polls, arguing that election rules are distinct from academic ones. The rejection of Naresh Kumar on age grounds raises a tension between the Act's provisions and the university's Ordinances. The Chandigarh High Court previously ruled in 2019 that universities must make reasonable accommodations for disabled students in elections, but enforcement remains inconsistent. The PU Vice Chancellor is the final appellate authority on nomination rejections, and with elections scheduled for August 31, any challenge must be resolved quickly or the affected students lose their chance to contest.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
