After Utkal, Ravenshaw also cancels students union elections

CUTTACK: After Utkal University, Ravenshaw University also on Monday cancelled elections to the students’ union scheduled to be held on October 11, following tension in the campus.

Since morning students staged sit in dharna and created ruckus in the campus opposing the indirect election pattern introduced by the Ravenshaw authorities this year. Students having affiliations to different political parties carried out rally in the campus and also disrupted classes in the varsity. The agitators also vented their anger by burning tyres on the varsity premises.

However, the final move came when the agitators forcibly entered into the vice-chancellor’s office demanding to conduct direct elections in the campus. Looking at the volatile situation in the campus, vice chancellor Ishan Patro ordered for cancellation of the students’ union election.

“The environment in the campus is not conducive at all to hold elections. We tried our best to convince the agitating students but they are in no mood to listen to us. To protect peace and property of the varsity, it has been decided to cancel the students’ union election this year,” said Patro. This is second year in a row when elections have been cancelled in Ravenshaw University.

Notably, with an aim to check political interference and poll related violence on the university campus, Ravenshaw authorities abolished the direct polls to students’ union, and introduced an alternative model of election. As per the new model, students will elect their class representatives and the class representatives will have the power to elect president and vice-president. However, the aspiring student leaders have been vehemently opposing the model.

On the other hand, the agitating students are in no mood to give up. The agitators have threatened that they will continue their agitation demanding to hold direct elections in the campus. “University authorities cannot act whimsically and abolish direct polls for students’ union. Our agitation will continue until and unless authorities fulfill our demand,” said Ashok Tandi, a student leader.