LU students reiterate demand for union polls; stage demonstration

To demand restoration of students’ union election on campus, a number of youths from different organisations staged demonstration outside the Lucknow University Students Union (LUSU) building on Monday.

The last union election was held in 2005.

Reiterating their demand, the students staged a demonstration for a while outside the union building and handed over a charter of demand to Prof Mahendra Agnihotri, the coordinator of the students’ union. They asked university officials to hold union polls and not to carry out any cultural programmes at the union building.

Of late, the students have been running a campaign to put pressure on the officials for holding LUSU polls. They alleged that there are elections for teachers and staff unions, but it is banned for students’ unions.

“Since 2005 no student union election has been held. In 2006 the then LU administration had decided to hold the polls as per the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Commission. This was opposed and since then no elections have been held,” one of the protesters said.

Commenting over the issue, Prof Agnihotri said, “I have received a copy of the memorandum and will hand it over to vice-chancellor Prof AK Rai.”

“The students’ union elections at Lucknow University were last held in 2005. In 2006, it was to be held as per the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations but elections were called off due to vandalism by student leaders over the proposed age restrictions,” he said.