5 hrs ago
Odisha to Hold Student Union Elections After Eight-Year Gap
Odisha plans to hold student union elections at colleges and universities on October 15.
The elections are returning after an eight-year gap.
Colleges are expected to issue election notices on October 7, and candidates can file nominations on October 9.
The final list of candidates is due on October 10.
Candidates will meet students on October 14 to explain why they are running.
Votes will be counted and results announced on October 15.
The new student representatives are due to take their oaths on October 16.
Candidates must follow rules, including a Rs 5,000 spending limit and restrictions on political-party money.
They must also meet age and attendance requirements and avoid prohibited campaigning.
Odisha has scheduled student union elections for October 15 at colleges and universities under its Higher Education Department.
Election notifications are due October 7, nominations October 9, and the final candidate list October 10.
A “Why I Stand For” meeting is scheduled for October 14; vote counting and results are due October 15, with oaths on October 16.
Regular elections were last held in 2017; the 2018 cycle was cancelled after campus violence and Cyclone Titli, with suspension continuing through the COVID-19 pandemic and a change of government.
Candidates face a Rs 5,000 spending cap and eligibility rules; political-party funding, certain campaign practices, and AI-generated fake content are prohibited.
- Who
- The Odisha government and eligible students at colleges and universities under the Higher Education Department.
- What
- Student union elections, including polling, vote counting, and result announcements, are scheduled for October 15.
- Where
- Colleges and universities under Odisha's Higher Education Department.
- When
- October 15 for polling; the elections are for the 2026-27 academic session. The year for the October dates is not specified in the articles.
- Why
- The elections are being revived after an eight-year suspension. The articles cite past campus issues, violence, Cyclone Titli, the COVID-19 pandemic, and a change of government as factors in the suspension; the BJP had promised to restore campus elections.
Reasons for suspension
Case for restoring elections
Campus polls
Reasons for suspension
The articles report that campus-related issues and incidents of violence were cited in connection with suspending elections; Cyclone Titli also led to cancellation of the 2018 cycle.
Case for restoring elections
The BJP had promised during the 2024 Assembly election campaign to restore campus democracy, and the government is now preparing to hold elections.
Key facts
- Polling date
- October 15
- Academic session
- 2026-27
- Election notification
- October 7
- Nomination and scrutiny
- October 9
- Final candidate list
- October 10
- Candidate spending limit
- Rs 5,000 per candidate
- Eligibility requirements
- Undergraduates must be 17–22; postgraduates up to 25; candidates must have at least 75% classroom attendance and no academic arrears in the year of contest.
- Polling-area cleanup
- Candidates are jointly responsible for cleanup within 48 hours after voting; failure carries a stated penalty of Rs 1,500 per candidate.
Sources
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