Allahabad University student council polls: After scrutiny, none left in the fray!

In a major setback to the plans of Allahabad University (AU) administration of setting up a students’ council on the campus in the place of students’ union, nominations of remaining two candidates for the post of class representatives also got cancelled on technical grounds.

The final list of candidates post scrutiny issued on Sunday as a result showed ‘zero’ candidates for 70 posts of class representatives thereby virtually bringing the plans of a students’ council to a stop even though no official of the university was available to comment on the development.

As part of the first phase of AU students’ council elections, only 17 nominations for 70 posts of class representatives took place on October 16.

Majority of the students preferred to stay away from the election process at a time when serious face off is under way on the central university campus amidst student leaders opposing the move.

On October 17, 15 of the candidates withdrew their nominations. On Sunday, the final list of candidates post scrutiny of nominations was issued by returning officer Prof RK Singh listing ‘zero’ candidates in fray for class representatives for arts, science, law, commerce as well as the remaining centres and institutes.

The notice issued by the RO informs that nomination of Vagish Pandey of LLM-2 for class representative (PG) was cancelled owing to his having entered the poll fray for class representative’s post earlier also, submitting unsigned affidavit and failing to provide mandatory documents to check past criminal history.

Likewise, the nomination of Shabeeha Khatoon of MSc-1 in fray for class representative of institutes/centres was cancelled for failing to provide age related documents, signed certificate from proctor, finance officer and controller of exams as needed.

Besides, she also failed to provide certificate regarding past criminal history and enrolment number.

With efforts to form a students’ council at two of the constituent colleges namely Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Degree College and Allahabad Degree College too already suspended midway for lack of candidates. Now, only CMP Degree College remains where the polling will take place on Monday.

Ewing Christian College too will witness polling for class representatives on Monday but at ECC polling for a students’ union formed on a council model has been in place for the past few years.