JNUSU polls: United Left panel’s presidential candidate may have to withdraw from race

The addendum, which was uploaded on Monday — the day of filing nominations — has triggered controversy within student circles.

Mishra, a PhD scholar, served as a student representative in the Internal Committee (IC). Records seen by The Indian Express show that she submitted her resignation from the position on October 23, a day before the notification was issued.

In a handwritten letter addressed to the Office of the Internal Committee, she wrote: “I hereby resign from my post of IC Students’ Representative (PhD) with immediate effect. I am also resigning from all the ongoing enquiry committees of IC that I am currently part of.”

Despite this, Mishra’s eligibility remains uncertain.

Speaking to The Indian Express, JNUSU President Nitish Kumar said, “Notification was issued that IC members cannot contest JNUSU Election and JNUSU members cannot contest IC election on backdate. Notification was dated October 24, but uploaded on October 27 after filing of nomination. Aditi has already resigned on October 23 from IC Student membership.”

Kumar said he had spoken to Dean of Students, Manuradha Chaudhary, who, he claimed, reportedly told him that Mishra’s resignation “would not be valid until the term of the candidate isn’t over and until a new person gets elected to the post”.

The Indian Express reached out to Chaudhary for a comment, but did not receive a response.

Speaking to The Indian Express Mishra said, “I had already submitted my resignation on October 23 after which the administration brought out this addendum and has uploaded it today on the website officially. My tenure in the IC was over but they had put a new vacant post.” She alleged that the “Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), in collusion with the administration, is doing this”.

Shikha Swaraj from the ABVP, who was a former JNUSU Presidential candidate, said, “We have nothing to do with this. The issue is between the administration and the Left candidate.”