HRY STUDENT POLLS GET POOR RESPONSE
ROHTAK/KARNAL: The student union elections held in Haryana universities and colleges on Wednesday after a gap of 22 years failed to ensure adequate participation of students, with polling being held on less than 25% of the total seats.
Barring BJP-backed Akhil Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the ‘indirect elections’ were boycotted by all other student unions, who demanded the government to follow the same election procedure that is followed in other prominent universities such as Delhi University (DU) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
In indirect elections held in Haryana, all classes were to elect their class representatives (CRs) who would then vote to elect office bearers such as presidents, vice-presidents, secretaries etc.
However, out of 1,108 seats of CRs in 11 state universities, polls to elect the CRs were held on only 254 seats.
As many as 517 CRs, mostly from ABVP, were elected unopposed and remaining 296 CRs were elected based on merit list due to no nominations.
“This is a mockery of elections. We have been successful in uniting the students in boycotting the polls, but the government still went ahead in its attempt to save its face. Such elections will not be taken seriously by anyone,” said Pradeep Deswal, president of the Indian National Students Organization (INSO), the student-wing of INLD.
At Maharshi Dayanand University in Rohtak, the polling was held in just 31 out of 222 seats. While 89 CRs were elected unopposed, 102 toppers were nominated by university itself in absence of any nomination.
Despite this, the university had only 104 CRs polling to elect office bearers as the rest boycotted the elections yet again. The results of the elections for office bearers will be declared later at night on Wednesday.
At State University of Performing and Visual Arts (SUPVA), only three seats out of 25 were contested.
The student polls received poor response in Kurukshetra University (KU) too as only 41% students exercised their franchise.
The polling was held in the senate hall to elect 41 Class Representatives and 110 candidates were in fray. Out of 41 elected CRs, 15 are girls while out of total 143 CRs, 52 are girls.
The university has total 224 posts of class representative. But there were no nominations for 81 posts of CRs and they would be nominated on merit basis, whereas 102 candidates were elected unopposed.
The highest turnout of 64.95% was recorded in university teaching department, followed by 22.6% in University College and 12.2 on College of Education.
Now, 143 class representatives, including 102, who have been elected unopposed to elect the 9 members student council in the evening.
The student council will have 5 office bearers, including president and vice-president, and 4 members.
The post of vice-president has been reserved for girl student and the student council will also have SC/ST student.
The student polls were held under high security amid threats of the opposing student unions of stalling the elections.
However, no reports of violence were received from any part of the state. At IC College for Women in Rohtak, six girls were taken in custody by the police for protesting. Similarly, some members of student unions were detained in Panipat and Kaithal as well.
ABVP CLAIMS VICTORY
State ABVP president claimed victory in the elections. “More than 80% office -bearers belong to ABVP. The other student unions lied about boycotting the elections but secretly fielded their candidates who were defeated by us.”
POLLS, CONDUCTED AFTER A GAP OF 22 YEARS, HELD FOR LESS THAN 25% OF TOTAL SEATS IN STATE