The Samajtantrik Chhatra Front’s Jagannath University chapter has urged that the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JnUCSU) and hall union elections take place in the first half of December. This call was made during a press briefing outside the vice-chancellor’s office earlier today. The Election Commission recently declared that the JnUCSU and hall union elections are scheduled for December 22.
Khadijatul Kubra, the vice-president of the organization’s JnU unit, expressed reservations about the announced election timetable, suggesting it demonstrated a lack of interest from the administration in ensuring an inclusive voting process. Kubra criticized the decision to hold the election on December 22, stating that many students would have already left for their homes after finishing their academic responsibilities for the year. Additionally, she raised concerns about potential political unrest later in December, insinuating that setting the JnUCSU polls during such a period could restrict voter turnout.
Kubra urged the administration to review the election schedule and reschedule the elections for the initial weeks of December to encourage wider participation. She also recommended that all exams be postponed during the election period to uphold a fair and democratic atmosphere for both voters and candidates.
Ivan Tahseeb, the president of the organization’s JnU unit, emphasized the importance of student engagement and proposed that the election be conducted earlier in December. He further suggested that all classes and exams be rescheduled at least a week before the polling to facilitate maximum student involvement.