SC panel to look into varsity union elections

The Supreme Court said that out the two members nominated by the Human ResourceDevelopment (HRD) Ministry, one should be an eminent financial analyst, preferably a reputed chartered accountant.

A bench comprising justices Arijit Pasayat and S H Kapadia asked the committee to place the report before it within four months from the date of notification.

The court said that the committee can issue notice to the parties and seek their suggestions and asked the Centre to ensure wide-range publicity to the views.

The bench passed the orders after hearing Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanian who it had asked for names on the committee.

The Supreme Court had earlier sought Centre’s view on formulating guidelines for such elections. The court felt that there should be some control over the eligibility criteria and the money being spent on the elections.

The court was particularly perturbed with the practice of student leaders getting themselves repeatedly enrolled in a college in different courses.

The Supreme Court was hearing an appeal by the University of Kerala against the High Court judgment setting aside the directions issued by various universities in the state to their affiliated colleges to conduct elections to the college unions.