Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has directed all district collectors and Superintendents of Police to visit the state-run colleges and universities and extend all necessary support to ensure that student union elections are conducted peacefully and without disruption, officials said Wednesday.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg has given directions to collectors and SPs while chairing a meeting to review preparations for the upcoming student union elections.
After an eight-year gap, the elections are scheduled to be held October 15, with nomination filing October 9. The results will also be declared on the day of polling.
Formal notification for student union elections in government-run colleges and universities Wednesday.
Garg directed the collectors and SPs to ensure that no violence, disorder or disturbance takes place on campuses during the election process.
The district administration and police have been asked to work closely with colleges and universities to provide necessary assistance for the smooth conduct of the elections.
Apart from collectors and SPs, senior officers including additional district magistrates (ADMs) and sub-collectors will also visit all higher educational institutions in their respective districts, officials said.
During the visits, the officers will interact with college and university authorities as well as students to understand their concerns and assess the arrangements for the elections, they said.
The SPs have also been asked to visit educational institutions before the nomination filing begins October 9. Police officers will monitor the situation from the nomination process through polling, counting and declaration of results, as well as the post-election period, to ensure that peace and discipline are maintained on campuses during the entire period.
The meeting stressed the importance of preventing the entry and interference of outsiders in educational institution campuses during the elections.
Officials were directed to strictly monitor such activities in accordance with the Lyngdoh Commission recommendations and the rules prescribed by the Higher Education department.
They were also directed to give special attention to institutions where student unrest or disorder had been reported during elections in previous years. The authorities have been asked to make necessary arrangements to prevent any untoward incident.
Maintaining law and order and ensuring a healthy academic environment in higher educational institutions is our priority, Garg said, while directing educational institutions, district administrations and the police to work together to ensure violence-free student elections.
With the issuance of formal notification for the poll, a political atmosphere started prevailing on the campuses.
Student leaders supporting three major political parties—BJP, BJD and Congress started showing their strength to get nomination for various posts like president, general secretary, etc.
As the students’ election is all set to be held after a gap of eight years and it will be the first poll after the 2024 general elections, the three major political parties are also giving much emphasis to it.
The student leaders of the political parties are busy holding meetings with their colleagues to pick suitable candidates to win the poll.
