AAP-linked ASAP to move High Court over ABVP candidate’s eligibility after PU poll victory
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, August 31, 2026: Following the reported victory of ABVP candidate Ankit Bidhan in the Punjab University student union elections, the AAP-associated student group ASAP has announced plans to approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court, challenging his electoral eligibility and raising questions over the conduct of the election process.
ASAP claimed that it had informed the Punjab University administration before the elections about concerns regarding Bidhan’s academic and disciplinary record, his eligibility to contest, and documents related to his candidature. According to the group, the university administration had assured it that the matter would be examined, but the election was conducted without any apparent decision on the objections.
The group said it will now seek judicial scrutiny of how a candidate whose eligibility had allegedly been questioned before polling was allowed to contest without the objections being resolved.
Questions Over Academic and Disciplinary Record
ASAP has raised several allegations concerning Bidhan’s academic and disciplinary history. The group claimed that Bidhan faced multiple examination failures while pursuing an LL.B. at Punjab University and was involved in an alleged Unfair Means (UMC) case, following which he was debarred from the university between 2023 and 2025.
The group has also questioned his subsequent admission to a PhD programme at Punjab University on the basis of an MA degree from Sabarmati University in Gujarat. ASAP has sought scrutiny of the eligibility criteria applicable to the admission and the authenticity and validity of the documents submitted.
The student group maintained that these issues required an independent examination before his candidature was cleared.
ASAP Invokes Lyngdoh Committee Guidelines
ASAP has also cited the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations governing university student elections, arguing that a candidate’s academic and disciplinary record should be considered while determining eligibility.
The group questioned whether the same electoral rules are being applied uniformly to all students, irrespective of their political affiliations.
“Our question is not about any particular individual, but about the fairness of the entire electoral process. If the rules are the same for all students, how can they be different for a candidate of a certain political organisation?” ASAP said.
Administration’s Role Questioned
The group has also questioned the Punjab University administration over its handling of the objections. ASAP claimed that the university was informed about the concerns before polling and had assured the group that the matter would be examined.
Despite this, the elections proceeded and voting was completed.
ASAP said it will now approach the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a fair examination of Bidhan’s electoral eligibility, the documents submitted in connection with his candidature and his alleged disciplinary record.
The group said it would also seek appropriate legal action regarding the validity of the election result if any violation of the applicable rules is established.
ASAP stressed that its challenge was not simply about the victory or defeat of a particular student organisation, but about ensuring that university election rules are applied equally to all candidates.
“If serious questions regarding a candidate’s eligibility had already been placed before the university administration before the elections, conducting the elections without resolving them raises questions over the transparency of the entire process,” the group said.
ASAP added that an inquiry would establish whether the documents and eligibility meet the applicable requirements and argued that an election victory should not be treated as conclusive if the candidate’s eligibility remains under judicial scrutiny.