Lucknow, March 14 : With the Lok Sabha elections just a year away, most political parties are keen to enrol foot soldiers from the university campuses.
State universities and other higher learning institutes in Uttar Pradesh may soon hold student union elections as per the Lyngdoh committee recommendations.
Indication to this effect was given by UP higher education Minister Yogendra Upadhyaya said, “The government has not put a ban on the student union elections.Universities are free to conduct the elections, but they should abide by the recommendations of the Lyngdoh panel.It is the universities who should take a call now.”
As per the recommendations of the Lyngdoh committee, only college, university students can take part in the election process in order to insulate the election process from criminals and political parties.There will be direct elections for smaller universities.
The Lyngdoh panel said that bigger universities could allow individual colleges to constitute their own representative bodies.Elections should be held annually.They should be conducted between six and eight weeks from the start of academic session.
Besides, undergraduates only between 17 and 22 years of age can contest.
The Lucknow university had postponed the union elections in 2006 after alleged violence in the campus.
The state government in September 2007 imposed a temporary ban on the student union election across the state with a view to eliminate the trend of participation of outsiders in the campus election.
However, in March 2008 the state government lifted the ban and advocated for the implementation of the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations as directed by the apex court.
The ministry of higher education also issued a letter to the then secretary of the University Grants Commission Dr T.R.Kem, instructing him to take necessary steps to ensure compliance of the apex court’s order, but till date the union elections have not been held.
amita/dpb
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