Maha defers student council elections

The Maharashtra Cabinet on Wednesday decided to postpone the student council elections, scheduled to be held in various universities and affiliated colleges, in view of the upcoming Assembly polls. These elections will now be held once the assembly polls, due in September-October this year, are concluded.

Higher Education Minister Vinod Tawde said the government took the decision to defer the student council elections anticipating that the model code of conduct for the assembly polls might clash with the schedule announced by vice-chancellors of various universities. "Administrative and police officials made a representation to the government saying they would be busy with the preparations for the Assembly elections," the minister told reporters after emerging from the Cabinet meeting.

He also announced the Universities Act will be amended to empower the Cabinet to postpone the students council elections in the events of the schedule of state elections overlapping or due to any law and order situation or natural calamities. "we plan to complete the students council elections before the end of this year," Tawde said.

Responding to a query, the minister said the government had no intention to scrap the students council elections since it believes that these contests develop leadership qualities and turn students into responsible voters. After the Maharashtra government decided to revive the students elections, which were banned since 1993, the fresh polls were supposed to be held this year in 11 universities and affiliated colleges.

The elections were banned following the alleged murder of a first year student of Law in campus violence in 1989. To facilitate holding of the elections, the government introduced various amendments to the Maharashtra Public Universities Act, 2016.

The rules for holding the elections were published in the government gazette dated October 26, 2018. As per rules, members of student wings can contest the elections without declaring their political affiliations..

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)