Delhi HC lifts stay on JNUSU poll results after hearing petitions concerning election rules, student body’s composition

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday allowed the Jawaharlal Nehru University’s election committee to declare results of students’ union election (JNUSU), held recently. [caption id=“attachment_570579” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Commandos stand guard outside the Delhi High Court. AFP[/caption] The court had earlier put a stay on declaration of the final results and restrained JNU administration from notifying the results of JNUSU election. It also permitted JNU to notify the poll result in accordance with Lyngdoh Committee recommendations. The Court had earlier sought reply of JNU on pleas of two students petitions - one seeking elections in accordance to the rules laid by the Lyngdoh Committee and the second challenging the rejection of nomination for the position of councillor. While the first plea had said that the mode of elections, the students’ representations, frequency and duration of the election process, eligibility criteria for candidates, code of conduct for candidates and election administrators were accepted by the Supreme Court also. It contended that the seats of councillors have been reduced despite the recommendation of the Lyngdoh Committee which states that each college/school/department has to have representation in the student body. However, Advocate Monika Arora, standing counsel for JNU, submitted that the EC could not have changed the Constitution of the JNU students’ union and reduced the number of seats as the same is contrary to the report of the Lyngdoh Committee. Advocate Arora also contended that directions have repeatedly been issued to the EC to hold the election in terms of the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee as has been approved by the apex court. However, the poll conducting body has failed to accept these directions and is not complying with the Lyngdoh. The Jawaharlal Nehru Students’ Union elections were held earlier this month. The election results were supposed to be declared on 8 September. This year, 14 candidates had contested for the posts of President, Vice President, Secretary and Joint Secretary.