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Supreme Court concerned over student union elections

Legal Correspondent

Seeks Central Government's views on formulating guidelines for conducting them There were several instances when students study one course after another in the same college only for the purpose of contesting the union elections

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday sought the views of the Centre for formulating guidelines for the conduct of student union elections in educational institutions across the country.

A Bench of Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice G.P. Mathur asked Additional Solicitor-General Gopal Subramaniam to file the Centre's response within 10 days and directed listing of the matter for further hearing on October 3.

Earlier, the Bench suggested the constitution of a committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge, two eminent academicians, one former Election Commissioner and one representative from the University Grants Commission to formulate guidelines in this regard. However, before setting up of the committee, the Bench wanted to hear the views of the Centre. The Bench asked the Centre to come out with its response.

The Bench was hearing a special leave petition by the Kerala University challenging a High Court order holding that colleges affiliated to various universities in the State were free to follow a system for elections to college unions that was better for the administration and maintenance of discipline on college campuses. The High Court said that the universities could not insist that the affiliated colleges conduct presidential form of elections as against the parliamentary form of elections hitherto followed.

When the matter was taken up on Monday the Bench expressed anguish and concern that the college union elections were creating unrest in the campuses. It said that "this is happening all over the country. There should be some control on eligibility on contesting the elections."

The Judges said there were several instances when students study one course after another in the same college only for the purpose of contesting the union elections. The Bench noted that in many cases the expenditure on college union elections were more than the expenses for parliamentary elections. It suggested a ceiling on such expenses.

Giving instances of how college unions had behaved in the campus, the Bench said in one instance a Vice-Chancellor was confined in his room by the student leaders and in another case, an invigilator was manhandled by student leaders on a complaint from one of the students caught copying in the examination. The Judges said, "from day one after winning the elections student leaders unleash unrest in the campus. We have to curb this menace."

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