Cloud of uncertainty lifts, JNUSU polls set for Friday
New Delhi: After days of uncertainty and disruptions surrounding the
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Students' Union (JNUSU) elections, the much-anticipated
presidential debate
is now scheduled to take place on Wednesday. Polls will be held on Friday.
The announcement comes after a turbulent week marked by protests, security concerns and delays in the election process. The final list of candidates for the central panel posts has been released. There are 13 students in the fray for the post of president, five for vice-president, six for general secretary, and five for joint secretary.
Under the
United Left alliance
, AISA and DSF have fielded joint candidates: Nitish Kumar for president, Manisha for vice-president, Munteha Fatima for general secretary and Naresh Kumar for joint secretary.
Another alliance, the Left-Ambedkarite Unity Panel comprising SFI, AISF, BAPSA and PSA, has nominated Choudhary Tayyaba Ahmed (SFI) for president, Santosh Kumar (AISF) for vice-president, Ramniwas Gurjar (BAPSA) for general secretary and Nigam Kumari (PSA) for joint secretary. ABVP has fielded Shikha Swaraj for president, Nittu Goutham for vice-president, Kunal Rai for general secretary, and Vaibhav Meena for joint secretary.
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The previous day, the JNUSU election committee approached the university administration seeking protection from Delhi Police, claiming threats to the lives of its members. The committee had declared that the poll process would only resume once the safety of its members and student organisations could be ensured. There were concerns that the polls might have to be cancelled entirely if there were delays in releasing the schedule.
The elections, originally scheduled for April 25, were put on hold last Friday following reports of violence and vandalism targeting the committee office and its members. In a notice issued, the committee cited a "major lapse of security" and an "environment of hostility, fear, and insecurity" as the reasons for the suspension. The committee also stated that the process would only resume once adequate security measures were in place and urged the administration to take action against those responsible for the violence. It criticised the administration's "inaction" despite repeated requests for protection.
University officials said that the JNUSU polls were conducted entirely by the students and the administration did not intervene in them.
The timeline leading up to the disruption saw multiple delays and confrontations. The final list of candidates was initially to be released on April 16, but due to delays in verifying nomination forms, the deadline was extended by one day. Candidates were asked to withdraw their nominations by 4pm on April 17. However, tensions rose when disagreements broke out during the withdrawal process, reportedly linked to the breakdown of the long-standing United Left alliance. The deadline was briefly extended by 30 minutes, during which some candidates attempted to submit their nominations. This led to protests by ABVP, claiming their candidates were denied a fair chance.
Late on Thursday, SFI launched a protest that lasted into the early hours of Friday. In response, the election officer issued an order allowing candidates to withdraw their nominations between 2pm and 2.30pm on Friday—a move that ABVP opposed as "undemocratic." The situation escalated further when students breached barricades and damaged property, including breaking glass at the committee office. The security guards present were unable to control the crowd, prompting the police to step in.
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