Patna University election results: ABVP leads with 3 seats, JD(U) wins 2

The results for the Patna University Students' Union (PUSU) elections were declared early on Thursday morning with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) leading with three seats and JD(U) trailing with two posts.

According to the results that came early on Thursday morning, JD(U) candidate Mohit Prakash won the the post of president while ABVP's Anjana Singh bagged the post of the Vice-president. 

The post of the Chief Secretary and Joint Secretary was bagged by ABVP's Manikant Mani and Raja Ravi respectively. Kumar Satyam from JD(U) was elected as the Treasurer.

The results were delayed as a ruckus was reported at the Patna Science College – the main counting centre. According to reports, the ruckus was created by the supporters of the candidates who contested the PUSU over a reported delay in announcing the results.

Hundreds of students gathered at the main entrance gate of the Patna Science College and started shouting slogans. The counting, which was earlier scheduled to start from 4 PM, could not be done as there was an inordinate delay in bringing the ballot boxes from all the polling booths to the main counting centre.

The Patna University officials had brought all the ballot boxes to the main counting centre, Patna Science College, and they were opened in front of all PUSU candidates.

The counting of votes began around 11.30 pm.

Altogether there were 114 candidates in the fray for a total of 29 posts - five seats of office bearers and 24 council member. The polling for PUSU elections was held in 14 constituencies including ten colleges and four faculties. A total number of 20,330 of eligible voters cast their votes in the PUSU elections.

Nearly 58.5 per cent polling was recorded during the PUSU elections. The highest voting percentage of 84 per cent was recorded at the College of Arts and Crafts which was followed by 80 per cent in Women's Training College.

The voting began at 8 AM amid unprecedented arrangements put in all places by the Patna district administration. To ensure free and fair polling during the PUSU elections, a large number of policemen were deployed on duty by the district administration.

Apprehending violence during polling for the PUSU elections and counting of votes, the district administration had clamped Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) at 17 places (educational institutions). Patna Sadar sub-divisional officer (SDO) Suharsh Bhagat issued the order for clamping Section 144 of CrPC at the university. The counting of votes was scheduled to begin from 4 PM amid high security at the Patna Science College.

The polls have been in the limelight after the vice president of Janata Dal (United) student wing Prashant Kishor was attacked on campus. Kishor was at the University to meet its Vice-Chancellor Rash Bihari Prasad Singh on Tuesday when a group of students surrounded his car while he was returning from the meeting and vandalised the vehicle.

After being attacked on campus, Kishor hit out at the ABVP saying they will not be able to get over with the fear of losing the PUSU elections by attacking him. The BJP, which is in alliance with the Janata Dal (United) in Bihar, had accused Kishor of trying to influence the elections in the University. On December 2, four leaders of the BJP, without naming anybody, had said, "Some people related to media, advertising, and event management are trying to influence the student union election and nobody has till now raised any objection to it."