JNUSU polls result likely to be announced today

New Delhi: The result for students' union polls of Jawaharlal Nehru University are expected to be announced on Sunday. More than 54 per cent students exercised their franchise in the students' union polls of JNU, where women's safety and hostel facilities surfaced as the key issues.

While seven candidates from major students' organisations were in the fray for the coveted presidential post in the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU), five candidates each for the posts of Vice-President, General Secretary and Joint Secretary were contesting the polls.

In a first, the Election Committee had introduced None of the Above (NOTA) option for the polling this time. However, many students felt that the option was toothless as the NOTA

votes cannot call for a re-election.

Digital voting, which was also introduced for the first time was widely used by visually impaired students. The computers had an interactive HTML portal which recorded students' choices.

Mohib Anwar and Pragya Devda, the two representatives of the Visually Challenged Students' Forum in JNU, assisted the visually impaired students as they cast their ballot.

Women's safety, action against those accused in sexual assault and better hostel facilities are among the key issues raised by the candidates of various students' organisations. This came against the backdrop of two JNUSU office bearers stepping down from their posts following a sexual harassment complaint against them with the university's gender sensitisation wing last month.

Democratic Students' Federation (DSF), which has forged an alliance with left-wing All India Students Federation (AISF) and other parties under the umbrella 'Left Progressive Front' (LPF) to counter ABVP and AISA, said they were confident of winning the presidential post.

"The poll process went peacefully and we are confident of winning the Presidential post," said V Lenin Kumar, DSF leader and former JNUSU president.

The LPF has fielded Rahila Perween, the only female candidate for the coveted presidential post.

After a wipe-out in the last year's elections, the Students' Federation of India (SFI) is hoping to make a comeback this time. In the "Left-dominated" JNU campus, the membership of

right-wing ABVP has also seen "a significant rise" this year.

"Our cadre base has increased from last year's 500 members to 800 this year," ABVP president in JNU Vinay Kant said.

The organisation has tried to appeal to minority students by fielding Md. Jahidul Dewan for the Vice-President's post.

Last year, ultra-left All India Students Association (AISA) had swept JNUSU elections, winning all top four positions.

(With additional information from PTI)