Bhubaneswar: Voting for student union elections is underway across 359 higher education institutions in Odisha on Thursday after a gap of eight years. Polling is being held in 346 colleges and 13 universities.
According to information, voting began at 8 am and results are expected by evening. The final list of candidates after withdrawals and rejections stands at 6,891. Of these, 6,533 are contesting in colleges and 358 in universities. Women candidates account for 45.2 per cent of the total. At the college level, there are 828 candidates for president, 697 for vice-president and 593 for general secretary in fray.
The polling, which began at 8 am amid tight security, will continue till 2 pm. Thousands of students are exercising their franchise to elect their representatives for various posts including President, Vice-President, General Secretary and others. Elaborate security arrangements have been made on campuses to ensure peaceful voting and to prevent any untoward incident. Counting of votes will begin after the polling concludes, and the results are expected to be declared by this evening.
Tension erupted during “Why I Stand For” meetings on Wednesday in more than 10 colleges and universities. At Utkal University, two student groups clashed before the meeting began, with the unrest lasting nearly three hours.
Similar incidents were reported at Rishikulya College at Bhanjanagar in Ganjam district, Baba Balia College in Baripada, NC College in Jajpur, Udala College in Mayurbhanj, and National College in Nuapada, where students clashed with police near the gate.
In view of prevailing tension at several institutions, the authorities declared ‘sign-die’ at Rajendra University in Balangir, Odapada College in Dhenkanal and LN College in Jharsuguda. At Odapada College, the administration cancelled the polls citing student unrest.
Protests also erupted at Ganjam College over the cancellation of elections. At Siddhartha Degree College in Binika, a poster threatening the principal was pasted outside the campus.
The elections are being closely monitored in view of the incidents of violence and the intense last-minute efforts by candidates to secure votes.
