New Delhi: It seems like a mid-term poll
happening at Jawaharlal Nehru University where students are gearing up for a second union election within six months.
Aspiring candidates filed their nomination papers on Wednesday for the September 14 polls to elect the University`s next students` union.
The process began at 9 am and continued till a little past 5 in the evening as students filed nominations for over 30 posts across different schools and departments.
The election comes only six months after the March 1 polls that elected the students` first representative body in four years following a prolonged struggle for restoration of the democratic process for election of the students` body.
The Supreme Court`s ban on elections in 2008 had cited violation of the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations but JNU students have vehemently opposed the implementation of the recommendations.
The last union was elected in March after a negotiated settlement involving the students representatives and the Supreme Court amicus curiae Gopal Subramaniam.
The Suchita De-led panel stepped down last week and an
election commission took over the process of organisng the next elections.
"The process of nomination went on smoothly today and the final list of candidates will be clear only by tomorrow evening," said Chandan, the chief election commissioner.
"The last election was delayed as the negotiations took time following a 2008 Supreme Court stay on election. But, this election brings back the calender on schedule," Chandan said.
The extreme Left All India Students Association (AISA) had held its hold on the students union, winning all four posts on the panel in the March elections of the Leftist bastion.
As the University geared for another round of elections, the same issues of the Lyngdoh committee recommendations, the need for revival of the Left and larger issues of national politcs are again being discussed in the University.
"It looks like a case of deja vu. The students had just got over the last elections. It rather looks like a mid-term poll," joked a student.
PTI
