Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) has announced student union elections for November 5, 2026, following a 20-day protest by students demanding the restoration of the union and the removal of the university’s proctor.
The decision followed a meeting between student representatives and Vice-Chancellor Naima Khatoon late on October 8, during which both sides reached an agreement on the protesters’ demands, Careers360 reported. The university registrar issued the election notification on October 9.
Alongside announcing the polls, the university administration replaced proctor Mohammad Naved Khan with Mohammad Nafees Ahmed Ansari, a professor in the Department of Political Science. According to an office memorandum issued on October 9, Ansari’s appointment takes immediate effect. He will serve for two years or until further orders, whichever comes first, while continuing his academic responsibilities, according to Careers360.
According to the schedule announced by Chief Election Officer Javed Talib, the election process will begin with the display of voter lists across faculties on October 26. Students can seek corrections to the lists on October 27, with the final lists scheduled to be published the same day.
Candidates can file nomination papers on October 29, followed by scrutiny of nominations. Careers360 reports that the final list of candidates will be published on October 31, while candidates contesting for the president’s post will deliver their speeches on November 3.
Polling will take place at the respective faculties from 9 am to 5 pm on November 5. Vote counting is scheduled to begin at 7 pm, with the venue to be announced later.
The protest began on September 21, with students demanding elections that had not been held for nearly eight years. The agitation intensified in recent days, with students blocking campus gates and postgraduate student Yasir Fahad undertaking a hunger strike.
The announcement addresses the protesters’ two principal demands: holding student union elections and replacing the proctor. However, the university’s announcement does not, by itself, establish whether the protest has formally ended.
The scheduled polls will provide students an opportunity to elect their representatives after a prolonged gap.