NU skips senate poll voters' list date

Nagpur university has once again lived up to its dubious habit of not sticking to schedules. This time it flouted its own notification about senate polls by not releasing the voters' list. As per NU notification, the list was supposed to be out on Thursday itself and uploaded on the university website. However, till the filing of this report on Friday, the list was not published leading to severe discontent in academic circles. The polls are slated for December 19.

A large number of candidates aspiring to contest polls gathered on the NU's administrative block on Friday in a hope to fill up the nomination forms. They received a shock when not only was the list not released but there was also shortage of nomination forms. The problem was later sorted out but due to absence of voters list, those who aspire to contest the elections failed to fill up the forms. As per NU notification, the last date for nomination is December 1 and with a day wasted already, the nominees are contemplating moving high court to have deadline extended.

"We had given a representation exactly a month before to defer the polls in view of many difficulties. The problem of approved teachers was not addressed properly, leading to deletion of their names from the list," former engineering dean Dinesh Agrawal alleged. A visibly angry Agrawal added that he along with other members had submitted a new representation to the pro-vice chancellor Arvind Chaudhary and also registered their protest.

Officiating VC BV Gopala Reddy refused to accept the calls as usual while registrar Mahesh Yenkie, who is also returning officer for the polls, failed to respond despite repeated attempts. The pro-VC also refused to take calls on his number. Former senate member Mohan Bajpayee stated that the NU authorities had promised to give a CD containing list of all voters to the contesting parties on Thursday so they could begin campaigning. "However, till today evening, neither the list was published nor uploaded on the website, let alone a CD being given," he said.

Senior academician Eknath Kathale also slammed NU authorities for their ineptitude. The academicians however believed it to be gross violation on the part of NU bosses as deadlines for polls of a statutory body like senate could not be messed with. They attributed it to the inexperience of all top NU bosses operating in officiating capacity. According to them, NU is literally crumbling with as many as top five posts being looked after on a temporary basis.