Students’ elections postponed due to Assembly polls in State

PUNE: The students’ unions will have to wait a little longer to contest the students’ elections which were to be held between August-September this year. The State Ministry of Higher and Technical Education has announced that the students’ elections in non-agricultural State universities have been postponed due to upcoming State Assembly elections.

According to a published timetable by the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), the procedures for students’ election was to begin from August 21. The election was to be held on September 7. However, during these dates, Maharashtra is likely to observe Model Code of Conduct (MCC) as ahead State Assembly election is due in October.

STUDENTS’ ELECTION & MCC OVERLAPPING
On Wednesday afternoon, State Higher and Technical Education Minister Vinod Tawde said that after the State universities declared the dates of the students’ election, some district collectors and police officers approached the vice-chancellors of these universities and raised concerns over the clash between students’ election and MCC.

“The police have a lot of responsibilities before and after MCC is implemented in the State. The security and safety assurance for smooth conduct of students’ election would add to their hectic schedule. Keeping this in mind the dates have been pushed further,” said Tawde.

Tawde also informed that the ministry has also made amendments in the State Public University Act, 2016, wherein, it has been mentioned that if a similar kind of circumstances evolve, the ministry has the right to postpone the students’ elections. It has been stated that in case of any kind of natural calamities like drought, flood or question of law and order arises, then such decisions can be taken by the ministry. The minister has assured that the elections will be held this year itself. 

STUDENT UNION MEMBERS UPSET
The elections are being held after 25 years in the State universities. Therefore, the recent update has dampened the spirit of student union members.

President of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), Pune city, Anil Thombare expressed discontent over this decision. “If the elections happen in November, then the student council representatives will get a shorter duration to serve. Also, if the elections have been postponed due to security reasons, then it is a failure of our Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who is also our home minister,” said Thombare. 

“The delay is unjust. I am not sure whether they will conduct it or not. The State government seems to be afraid of the students. We feel the State government and the university have cheated us,” said Maharashtra State Youth Congress Secretary Satish Gore.

“The sudden change of decision has shocked us. We had started preparing for the students’ election in full swing. Several events were planned ahead of the election. But the postponement decision has dampened our spirits,” said Students’ Helping Hand President Kuldeep Ambekar.

Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Post-Graduate Student Association (DAPSA) President Amol Sarwade said government is not democratic. “The government has always been impatient towards issues like these. It has been implementing its agendas through universities. If the students’ elections happen before the State Assembly, then it will definitely impact Assembly election results,” he said.