Campuses gear up for Students’ Unions polls

-- Aspirant candidates start campaign

BHUBANESWAR: Following the Government notification for college election by October 19, College and University campuses in the State became very active as the candidate selection process by the Students’ Unions of the respective colleges is going on. The mood of campus politics is in peak as the filing of nomination will be held on October 12.

The student wings of BJD, Congress and the student organisations like AISF, SFI, ABVP and DSO are prepared for the election. Selection of the candidates for the campus election is almost finalised and those are in confused state, they will finish their selection work on the day of nomination, said a Journalism and Mass Communication student of Berhampur University Rudra Patra.

As per the Government notification of the Department of Higher Education, nomination paper can be filed in between 9 am to 12 o’clock on October 12. Scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on the same day afternoon from 2 to 4 pm. While list of valid nomination papers will be published at 11 am on October 13. On the same day from 2 to 4 pm students can withdraw their nomination papers if they want and the final list of candidates will be published at 5 pm.

The ‘Why I Stand For’ meeting would be held on October 18, while election would be held from 8 am to 2 pm on October 19 and the result would be declared on the same date after counting the votes. The oath taking ceremony would be held on October 20, stated the notification.   

The higher education department officials said that they had scheduled to complete the college election just before the Durga Puja to give a stress less puja vacations to the students. This year, elections in colleges and the universities would be held at the same time. Like last year, the guidelines of Lingdoh Commission would be followed very strictly this year also.

The university authorities of the premier institution of the State, Utkal University, has already declared to not hold election for this year due to repeated violence in the campus. The student leaders are now focusing on the BJB Autonomous College, Rama Devi Women’s College, Rajdhani College, Maharshi College and other Government colleges in the city.

Students’ Union of the nerve centre of education in south Odisha, Berhampur University, is ready for the upcoming election. The other important colleges under Berhampur University like Khallikote Autonomous College, SBR Autonomous Women’s College, Binayak Acharya Govt College, City College and Chatrapur Govt Science College are prepared for the college election. The election will be held in the campuses of 23 colleges of Ganjam district, sources said.

Similarly, Ravenshaw University in Cuttack, Fakir Mohan University in Baleswar and Sambalpur University in Sambalpur are also geared up for the Students’ Union election. Their affiliated colleges have started campaigning in the campuses by helping the new comers in various fields.

The planning meetings for the upcoming election are being held regularly by the student wings of respective political parties and organisations. Some students have also tried to attract fellow students by stringing up the welcome posters. The front gate of the University and also other college campuses are filled by the welcome posters bearing the names of the willing candidates for the election. Even the selected candidates have started campaign by going to the individual classes.

“I’m confident about my win in the election. Our candidates along with me have started campaigns by going to the class rooms of respective departments. We have started motivating the students by distributing cards and going door to door to get votes,” said president candidate of the Students’ Union of BJB Autonomous College Sibabrata Nayak.

According to the Ravenshaw University student Narayan Sahu, they are even using social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. They are personally sending SMS to the students as campaign for election.  

The campuses are very cool and peaceful as the recent Government notification stated that if any violence occurs in the campus regarding election matter, then the election of that college or university will be called off.

While the officials of university administrations told The Pioneer that College attendance, Lyngdoh Commission recommendations will be strictly followed in the college election and the administration hopes for a peaceful election in the campus.