The JNUSU elections are being held after a gap of four years. The elections were stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and could not be conducted thereafter
JNUSU Polls 2024: After a four-year hiatus, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) elections commenced on Friday with over 7,700 registered electors set to cast their votes. Polling for the first phase has commenced which will continue till 1:00 PM. The second phase will be conducted from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM. As per news agency ANI report, the polls started with over an hour of delay as polling agents’ selection took time. The polling was scheduled to start at 9:00 AM.
Meanwhile, the Jawaharlal Nehru University(JNU) administration has taken cognizance of the matter where some students allegedly raised motivated slogans during the presidential debate of the JNUSU election on March 21. Issuing a notice, the University administration wrote, “It has come to the notice that some students have allegedly raised certain motivated slogans, during the event of presidential debate of JNUSU election held on 21 March, 2024, which are totally unacceptable as it may hurt feelings and sentiments of various sections of the JNU community.”
The administration has taken cognizance of the matter and the security branch has been Instructed by the Vice Chancellor to immediately look into the matter and submit its report, the notice further reads. The students gathered around the polling stations hours before the polling began amid sloganeering. ABVP supporters were heard raising ‘Jai Shree Slogans’ while Left groups used drums to sing in unison –‘lal Salam’.
A total of 7,751 students are registered to cast their votes in the elections slated for March 22. The Administration has urged all sections of the JNU community to refrain from vitiating the peaceful atmosphere of the campus and facilitate a peaceful JNUSU election. Security Branch should immediately be informed/contacted in case anyone is found to be indulging in any unauthorized activity.
As per the news agency ANI report, the Delhi High Court had appointed former Supreme Court judge, Justice V Ramasubramanian, as the observer for the upcoming Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union elections while hearing a plea on the polls. The plea moved by a JNU student sought direction to frame appropriate university statute, regulations or mechanisms for conducting JNUSU elections, incorporating the recommendations prescribed in the Lyngdoh Commission.
The students’ union has four central panel positions: President, Vice President, General Secretary, and Joint Secretary. As per the election commission, eight candidates (1 woman, 7 men) have been finalised for the president position and 4 candidates (1 woman, 3 men) are contesting for the position of vice president.
The ABVP have nominated Umesh Chandra Ajmira for the post of President, and Deepika Sharma for Vice President. Arjun Anand and Govind Dangi have been nominated as candidates for General Secretary and Joint Secretary respectively.
The United Left representatives from the AISA, SFI, DSF and AISF panel have fielded Dhananjay as the Presidential candidate, Avijit Ghosh for Vice-President, Swati Singh for General Secretary and Sajid for Joint Secretary as the left unity panel.
The JNUSU elections are being held after a gap of four years. The elections were stalled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and could not be conducted thereafter. The last JNUSU election was won by left-backed SFI candidate Aishe Ghosh in 2019. The left students outfits had allied to contest in the 2019 polls under the banner The United-Left alliance which included a coalition of AISA, SFI, DSF, and AISF.
(With Inputs From Agencies)