?Well-wishers? active again !

APRIL 30 is the D-day for the Allahabad University Union (AUU) president Ajeet Yadav and his challenger veteran student leader Raghunath Dwivedi when the specially constituted tribunal— formed to resolve the issue of Allahabad University students union president Ajit Yadav's election— will finally deliver its verdict on the fate of AUU presidency.

The three members of the tribunal including former civil servants KB Srivastava, Farhat Ali and the new chairman former Justice RB Mehrotra had met on April 18 at first but due to the failure of Ajeet Yadav to bring along his lawyer decided to meet again on April 22. Lawyers of both the parties had presented their arguments and the tribunal had decided to announce its judgment finally on April 30.

However, not wishing to take any chances, sources say, well-wishers of the candidates including a former AUU president have already started approaching some members of the tribunal to ascertain which way the wind is likely to blow and, if possible, influence it in their candidate's favour.

It is to be recalled that the former chairman of the three-member tribunal justice (retd) Achal Behari Srivastav had resigned suddenly on April 29. The move was believed to have been the result of political pressure being exerted on him with an aim to influence the tribunal's decision.

The resignation, which had come just a day before the tribunal was to give its final verdict, had created a major problem for the AU authorities.

Raghunath Dwivedi, who had polled the second highest number of votes in the AUSU elections last year, had submitted a memorandum to the varsity administration, challenging the election of Ajit Yadav to the post of AUSU president.

He had cited some documents and claimed that Ajit was employed as a teacher at a government school. Dwivedi had claimed that Ajit had even been issued a migration certificate from AU and thus was ineligible to contest the polls.

Following the allegations, the AU Executive Council had decided to form a three-member tribunal to decide on the issue. Former justice Achal Behari Srivastava was made the chairman and had KB Srivastava and Farhat Ali as its members.

The last hearing under former Justice Achal Behari Srivastava had taken place on March 24 and the decision was reserved. Later, it was said that the tribunal would give its verdict on March 30.

However, on March 29, just a day before the D-day, the chairman of the tribunal had resigned from the post amidst reports of political pressure on him being the reason behind the move.

The resignation had put the AU administration in a spot as even after four months of the AUSU elections, the formation of the Board of Trustees (BoT) still remains pending. The AU Executive Council has instructed the VC to open the BoT formation letter only after the issue of AUSU presidentship is resolved.

With reports that some members of the tribunal are again being approached by the so-called well-wishers of the two student leaders, AU administration, sources say, is holding its breath in hope that at least this time around the issue gets finally resolved once and for all.