Ajit Pal Singh Kohli, Narinder Kaur Bharaj among 3 MLAs nominated to Punjabi University Senate

Patiala, October 28

Member of the Legislative Assembly from Patiala Rural Dr Balbir Singh, Patiala Urban Ajit Pal Singh Kohli and Sangrur Narinder Kaur Bharaj have been nominated as members of Punjabi University’s Senate.

The state government released the notification of their membership on Friday.

The Senate comprises the Chancellor (Governor), Vice-Chancellor, all former VCs, Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chief Minister, Minister of Higher Education, Advocate General, Director Education Department, Director Languages Department, certain faculty members, college principals and others.

The list also includes three Members of the Legislative Assembly nominated by the state government.

While the duration of Senate is of two years, the MLAs are being nominated mid-session. They will continue as members till June 29, 2023.

Interestingly, Kohli and Bharaj are alumni of the university. Dr Balbir Singh is an eye surgeon. Kohli completed MA in political science, while Bharaj studied LLB.

Of the 117 legislators, 13, including CM Bhagwant Mann, Mohammad Jamil Ur Rahman (Malerkotla), Principal Budhram (Budhlada), Lakhvir Singh (Fatehgarh Sahib), Baljinder Kaur (Talwandi Sabo), are university alumni.

Meanwhile, Youth Akali Dal national senior vice-president Harinder Pal Singh Tohra, the grandson of SAD stalwart Gurcharan Singh Tohra, has questioned the nomination saying the government rather than nominating politicians should have opted for intellectuals or well-educated individuals.

AAP incharge for Patiala Lok Sabha constituency Inderjit Singh Sandhu said the government had nominated “well-educated” individuals. “Bharaj and Kohli have got master’s degrees, while Dr Balbir Singh is a doctor. Previous governments had nominated individuals to the Senate who weren’t even graduates,” he said.