JNU student union polls held peacefully, results on April 28
After weeks of delay and tension sparked by an attack on the Election Committee office, the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) elections were conducted in a peaceful manner on Friday. The results are expected on Monday, April 28, with counting currently underway.
The campus came alive with political fervour as students queued up to vote, marking the end of an unusually dramatic election season. Voting was brisk, with 43.61 per cent turnout recorded by 4 pm, according to the university’s Election Committee. Of the 7,906 eligible voters, 57 per cent are male and 43 per cent female.
Despite the initial disruption due to the EC office attack, the campaign season eventually took off with full force. JNU’s signature election atmosphere returned in full swing — lantern-lit rallies, hand-drawn posters, torch processions and loud sloganeering filled the air. From “Kashmir hamara hai” to “Desh samvidhan se chalega, vyaktigat kanoon se nahi,” students raised their voices on problems both national and campus-specific. Posters supporting Palestine flew alongside banners demanding justice for the victims of the recent Pahalgam terror attack and a call for more scholarships.
This year’s elections are being seen as a turning point in JNU politics. The traditionally united Left camp has split into two alliances. The AISA-DSF combine is contesting as one bloc, while the SFI, BAPSA, AISF and PSA have joined forces in another. The fragmentation has sparked speculation of a potential opening for the ABVP, which last held significant sway in JNU’s union politics several years ago.
Thirteen candidates are in the fray for the presidential post. Prominent names include Shikha Swaraj (ABVP), Nitish Kumar (AISA), Suman (AIDSO) and Pradeep Dhaka (NSUI). ABVP’s full panel features Nittu Goutham for vice-president, Kunal Rai for general secretary and Vaibhav Meena for joint secretary. AISA-DSF has fielded Nitish Kumar, Manisha, Munteha Fatima and Naresh Kumar for the four key posts. The SFI-led bloc has nominated Choudhary Tayyaba Ahmed, Santosh Kumar, Ramniwas Gurjar and Nigam Kumar.
