Senate members of University of Madras want a special meeting after Lok Sabha elections

University of Madras Senate members request special meeting for smooth academic and administrative functioning after April 19.

The University of Madras’ Senate members have requested the registrar to convene a special senate meeting “as per the statutory provisions of Chapter XI, Act S-14,“ of the University statutes after April 19, 2024.

The members said the meeting would pave the way for the smooth functioning of academic and administrative activities of the university. 

The University had announced its decision to not hold the Senate meeting scheduled for March 30, 2024, citing the Model Code of Conduct in view of the upcoming general elections to be held on April 19 in the State. The Senate was scheduled to conduct an election of members to the Syndicate and Senate at the meeting.

The annual Senate meeting in March usually discusses the budget for the next year, and the annual report of the university is tabled. The registrar, however, circulated the items on the agenda to the members. Later, the University declared that the Senate-in-circulation had approved of the agenda items by majority. 

The letter to the registrar, a copy of which has been sent to the Convenor of the Vice Chancellor committee of the University, stated that the minutes of the meeting circulated had restricted the scope of the approval to only salaries, pensions and other immediate requirements from the financial estimate of the year 2024-25.