No sign of JNUSU poll, students say varsity uninterested

Satish Yadav, general secretary, JNUSU, said: “PhD admissions are still underway. If the administration wants to hold elections after all the admissions finish, then it will get very late. It’s a democratic process and needs to be held every year, else there is a burden on those already in the union.”

The election was last held on 6 September 2019. That year, the United Left Panel, comprising of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), the Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF), the All India Students’ Association (AISA) and the All India Students’ Federation (AISF) won all four central posts, sweeping the elections for the fourth consecutive year. Since then, there have been anti-CAA protests and a protest against a proposed hostel fee hike at JNU during which violence broke out with a masked mob attacking students and teachers.

Parties on both the left and the right believe that elections are being put off deliberately.

Umesh Chandra Ajmeera, ABVP president, JNU, said, “When the election will happen and why it has not happened so far is not clear. When DUSU elections are happening, why not JNUSU elections? Last year, we were told it would happen after PhD admissions, but these admissions went on for a long time. This year too, admissions are taking a long time.”

N. Sai Balaji, former JNUSU president said: “It’s a politically sensitive university for the government since they have not been able to get their narrative in, and their organisation has not been able to win.”

The Lyngdoh Committee recommendations state that elections need to be held on a yearly basis and between 6- 8 weeks from the date of commencement of the academic session.

Balaji, who is a research scholar at JNU, said: “The new academic session is generally considered to start after the last date of the admissions, which sometimes extends to August 20. The PhD admissions are yet to be over and if the election is held before, PhD students won’t be able to vote.”

A member of the Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students’ Association (BAPSA), pointed to a similar problem. “To include PhD students, elections will be put off once again, like it was done last year. But we want it at least by November,” he said, adding that the delay in holding elections has given the ABVP a chance to seek support.

A JNU spokesperson did not respond to questions on whether the elections are likely to be held this year, and when this might be expected.