Odisha: Students’ polls cancelled in seven edu institutions due to campus violence

Bhubaneswar: The students’ union elections have been cancelled at seven educational institutions, including five colleges and two universities in Odisha as incidents of pre-poll violence kept the campuses across the State on the boil on Monday.

Following student unrest on its campuses, Ravenshaw University in Cuttack and Sambalpur University cancelled the polls. Students’ union elections

Similarly, the polls were also cancelled at Madhusudan Law College in Cuttack, Dhamnagr College in Bhadrak, Nilgiri College in Balasore, Kusaleswar Regional Degree College in Keonjhar, Mangala College in Kakatpur of Puri district, among others.

Nilgiri College was closed sine die following a group clash among students and crude bombs were hurled on the campus. Similarly, Dhamnagar College in Bhadrak district were declared sine die following pre-poll violence on the campus.

“We have decided not to hold the students’ union polls this year due to student unrest and campus violence,” said Ravenshaw Vice-Chancellor Ishan Patra.

On Saturday, Utkal University had also announced not to conduct the students’ polls this year owing to the ongoing campus violence and student unrest. Last year too the polls were cancelled at Utkal varsity.

As per the notification, the students’ union elections at various colleges and universities will be held on October 11.

Earlier, Partha Sarathi Mishra, Additional Secretary of Higher Education Department, said vice-chancellors or a principal can take a call on whether to hold elections or not basing on the campus situations.