JNU Implements New Procedure for Union Elections: Students’ Involvement at Forefront
New Delhi, 6th Feb. In a significant development at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), the administration has initiated a revised procedure for the upcoming union elections, marking a departure from past practices. The Dean of Students (DoS) Office has issued a notice on Monday, calling upon student organizations to nominate individuals authorized to conduct the General Body Meeting (GBM), a crucial prerequisite preceding the union elections.
Earlier, the responsibility of organizing the GBM rested with the JNU Students’ Union. However, in the absence of formal notification in 2019, the DoS has stepped in, urging representatives from various student outfits to collaboratively determine the GBM facilitators.
A meeting convened by the DoS with representatives from approximately 16 student organizations paved the way for discussions on commencing the electoral process for the 2023-24 academic session, as per an official notification. During this session, it was agreed upon that students would collectively nominate the GBM members, indicating a shift towards greater student involvement in the electoral process.
However, the meeting witnessed the boycott of ABVP’s JNU unit, voicing dissent over the DoS’s intervention in the electoral proceedings. Expressing their stance, the student outfit questioned the necessity of administrative involvement, emphasizing the importance of student-centric elections.
“The JNU elections should be entirely student-centric, overseen by an election commission comprising students. Why is the DoS office unnecessarily inserted into the JNU elections?” the ABVP’s JNU unit conveyed in a statement.
The GBM holds significant importance as it serves as a pivotal stage wherein students nominate members who will subsequently oversee the JNUSU election results.
Notably, JNU is set to conduct its students’ union elections after a hiatus of four years, marking a pivotal moment in the university’s democratic processes.
