The Dean of Student Welfare at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) put forth a mandate on February 23, that the Election Commission for the upcoming EFLU student union elections must be comprised of faculty members only, and not students, students of the university allege.
The administration, which allegedly announced this decision at a 14-student meeting without a prior agenda on Friday, February 23, further stated that not accepting this mandate would mean that elections would not be conducted.
Furthermore, the student organisations present at the meeting were urged to “resolve their differences”, and asked them to condemn the “disruption” that took place at the last General Body Meeting on February 9, as well as February 12 between Left groups and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
Revealing these developments and condemning the administration's mandate, Disha Telangana, a student organisation said that the administration has “not specified who caused the disruption and violence, nor did they take any action” against them, accusing the admin of turning a blind eye to ABVP’s alleged provocation and involvement in the violence.
“Why is the entire student community being penalised for the actions of some students belonging to Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP)? Why is our democratic right to a properly constituted EC with student representatives being snatched away due to their hooliganism? Why can’t the administration ensure that such disruption is met with strict consequences? (sic),” the statement asks, further questioning the ABVP for not expressing qualms about rules not being followed at an all-faculty EC.
In addition, the student organisation also hints at the existence of a “nexus” between ABVP and the administration, and that “have made it clear that they seek to curb democracy on campus (sic).”
Elaborating on this, the statement adds that ABVP’s politics, which “destroy student unity”, distract from issues like the “quality of education, shrinking campus democracy, the ever-rising expenses, the constant privatisation, and the communalisation of education (sic).”
The call for a faculty-only EC has ignited fears of compromising the democratic process of student elections, Disha says. Further, it argues, “We must recognise that the administration and faculty are not neutral bodies. The administration, as we can see in the recent history of the campus, they will go to any lengths to suppress pro-student movements and voices (sic).”
The collective, thus, calls for students of EFLU to unite and not give into the “unreasonable ultimatums” of the administration, and “fight for free, fair, transparent, student-led elections.”