Patna: Patna University Teachers’ Association (PUTA) will go to the polls on Nov 4 after a gap of more than three years, with 421 teachers eligible to elect the office-bearers of the university’s teachers’ body.The last PUTA elections were held on July 17, 2023.Chief election officer N K Jha on Thursday released the election schedule, guidelines and code of conduct. A 30-member central election committee comprising faculty deans, heads of postgraduate departments and college principals has been constituted to oversee the polls.Voting will be held at the Patna Science College gymnasium from 10am to 3.30pm on Nov 4. Counting will begin immediately after polling, with results expected the same evening.The elections will be held for the posts of president, two vice-presidents, general secretary, two joint secretaries and treasurer, besides 19 executive committee members.Candidates can file nominations from Oct 22 to 26. Scrutiny will take place on Oct 27, while Oct 28 is the last date for withdrawal.PUTA elections have traditionally generated interest beyond academic circles, with the association serving as a political springboard for several leaders in the past.“Teachers with political ambitions are naturally likely to be interested in contesting the association elections,” a senior retired Patna University teacher said.With the electoral roll finalised and the schedule announced, attention is now likely to shift to prospective candidates and alliances ahead of the Nov 4 contest.
