Students’ union polls across Odisha on Oct 5

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Sep 17:

The students’ union elections of colleges and universities across Odisha will be conducted on October 5, Higher education department issued a notification today.

“The students’ election process will begin on September 28 and the contestants will file nomination form for different positions on September 29. The scrutiny of nominations will be done on the same day. The candidates would be allowed to withdraw their nominations on October 1. The students will cast their votes on October 5,” the notification said.

‘What I Stand For’ meeting, an important part of the college elections where candidates pitch for their candidature, will take place on October 4.

While the voting will be conducted on October 5 from 8 am till 2 pm, the votes will be counted the same day and the results would also be declared the same day in the afternoon.

The oath taking ceremony of the elected candidates in different colleges will take place on October 6, added the notification.

Notably, the elections will be held as per the Lyngdoh committee recommendations, this year too.

Major highlights of the recommendations of former Chief Election Commissioner JM Lyngdoh are as follows:

• Candidates should have at least 75 per cent attendance
• Must have cleared all exams
• No involvement of political parties
• Poll expenses not to exceed Rs 5000
• Ban on campaign through posters, banners and hoardings after issue of notification
• Ban on use of printed posters, printed pamphlets, or any other printed material for canvassing
• Candidates may only use hand-made posters within expenditure limit
• On poll day, candidates cannot serve or distribute eatables, or other solid and liquid consumables, except water
• All candidates should be jointly responsible to clean up polling area within 48 hours of end of polling