JNUSU Polls: Voting concludes, outcomes on April 28 | Schooling

In keeping with the JNU College students’ Union Election Committee, greater than 69.6 per cent of scholars got here out to vote. Nonetheless, it was barely down from 73 per cent recorded in 2023. However nonetheless marks the very best turnout from 2012’13 to 2023’24.

Additionally learn: JNU college students’ union polls: Election committee calls for police safety

Round 5,500 college students out of seven,906 eligible voters forged their ballots.

Polling was held in two periods, from 9 am to 1 pm and from 2:30 pm to five:30 pm, at 17 centres throughout the campus.

Voting was largely peaceable, though some delays had been reported, notably on the College of Language centre the place polling began late because of lacking names of two counsellors on the poll paper.

Voting at that centre started solely at 11 am, whereas different centres noticed delays of round half an hour.

College students had gathered on the cubicles since morning and expressed disappointment over the delays which had been additional aggravated by the rising temperatures. As a result of these delays, voting continued at some centres till 8 pm.

4 centres had been arrange within the College of Language, College of Social Sciences 1 and a pair of, and the College of Worldwide Research.

Some individuals with disabilities (PWD) college students alleged an absence of correct preparations, saying they needed to spend extra time casting their votes.

A number of first-year college students who had been first-time voters additionally complained of pending hostel allotments and insufficient amenities.

Additionally learn: JNUSU contestants invoke ‘Pahalgam’, ‘faith’ and ‘Palestine’ in intense debate

“We joined in final September however until now we’ve got not been allotted a hostel and there aren’t any amenities of library and so on,” a first-year pupil from Chinese language Language advised PTI.

Different college students raised considerations in regards to the recurring nature of points listed in manifestos.

“For the final 4 years, I’ve seen the identical points within the manifestos of the left teams. They arrive to energy however don’t resolve them and this yr too they’ve the identical issues listed of their manifestos,” mentioned PhD pupil Satyam.

Many northeast college students rallied behind their candidate Yari, who’s contesting for the put up of normal secretary. They alleged continued neglect by mainstream pupil teams.

“We’re contesting ourselves as a result of no different group listens to our issues. Like, we’re not being offered northeast meals within the mess even after many requests. We’re contesting in order that we may give voice to our issues ourselves,” mentioned one of many pupil supporters.

This yr’s elections noticed important realignments. The long-standing United Left has splintered. The All India College students’ Affiliation (AISA) allied with the Democratic College students’ Federation (DSF), whereas the College students’ Federation of India (SFI) joined arms with the Birsa Ambedkar Phule College students’ Affiliation (BAPSA), All India College students’ Federation (AISF), and Progressive College students’ Affiliation (PSA) to kind a separate bloc.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has fielded a full panel comprising Shikha Swaraj for president, Nittu Goutham for vice-president, Kunal Rai for normal secretary, and Vaibhav Meena for joint secretary.

The AISA-DSF alliance has nominated Nitish Kumar for president, Manisha for vice-president, Munteha Fatima for normal secretary, and Naresh Kumar for joint secretary. In the meantime, the SFI-BAPSA-AISF-PSA bloc has put ahead Choudhary Tayyaba Ahmed for president, Santosh Kumar for vice-president, Ramniwas Gurjar for normal secretary, and Nigam Kumar for joint secretary.

In whole, 29 candidates are contesting for the central panel posts of president, vice-president, normal secretary, and joint secretary.

Round 200 candidates are within the fray for 42 counsellor posts. The counting of votes started late Friday evening, with outcomes for counsellor posts anticipated to be declared first. Remaining outcomes are prone to be launched on Monday, April 28.

In the course of the polling day, the campus got here alive with the vibrancy of pupil democracy. Supporters of varied pupil organisations and impartial candidates took out processions with drums and slogans, distributing slips with candidate names to these standing in queues.

Candidates and their supporters moved from one centre to a different, urging college students to vote. Regardless of the charged ambiance, no clashes had been reported.

With the left bloc divided, ABVP is optimistic about its probabilities this yr.

The organisation has not gained a central panel put up since 2015’16. All main teams are claiming victory, however the closing outcomes will decide who secures management of the scholars’ union.