In a climactic twist to the recent University of Hyderabad’s (UoH) student union elections, independent presidential candidate Akash Bhati has alleged foul play after losing by a slim margin of 18 votes. Bhati, who led the polls until the 38th round, claimed that the university’s election commission allowed invalid votes to be counted in favour of the alliance-backed candidate, costing him the victory. Despite demanding a recount, the results remained unchanged, leaving him no choice but to take legal action.
“This wasn’t just about losing. In fact, we have won in the eyes of the UoH student community, but it felt like a murder of democracy and the beginning of the end for thriving student politics at UoH,” Bhati told EdexLive in an exclusive interview.
“Invalid votes were clearly counted for the other side, and even after recounting, they ignored our objections. This process was neither free nor fair,” he alleged.
A remarkable independent campaign?
What makes Bhati’s journey remarkable is that he ran as an independent candidate, challenging the political dominance of larger groups like the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Ambedkar Students' Association - Students' Federation of India (ASA-SFI) alliance. As a former secretary of the ABVP, Bhati was well aware of the functioning and internal politics of such organisations. He took a stand to work for the betterment of students’ lives rather than exploiting their grievances for political gain.
With no party machinery to back him, Bhati’s campaign relied on personal connections, direct conversations with students, and a vision for change. His message resonated with many, and his rise to the top during the initial rounds of counting sent shockwaves across the campus, creating history.
“Being an independent candidate isn’t easy. You have little to no funding, and no organisational support, but what you do have is the freedom to speak for the students without any strings attached. That’s what drove me. I wanted to show that real change can come from outside the system and that even an independent candidate with good motives and a genuine desire to help students can challenge the power structure,” he said.
Inspiring a new political perspective
Bhati’s campaign didn’t just win him votes; it inspired others to rethink their role in campus politics. “So many students came up to me during the campaign and said they felt motivated to stand up for what they believed in. That’s the legacy I want to leave behind. This isn’t just about me — it’s about empowering others to challenge the status quo,” he added.
The results, however, have left him disillusioned. “I owe it to the students who supported me to fight this till the end. The irregularities in the counting process cannot be ignored. I will take this to court, not just for myself but for the integrity of our elections and for retaining the democratic nature of student politics in India,” he stated firmly.
A call for reform and accountability
In his candid discussion with EdexLive, Bhati spoke about the broader implications of his campaign, calling for electoral reforms and emphasising the importance of independent voices in campus politics. The controversy has sparked a wider debate on campus about the transparency of elections and the challenges faced by those outside traditional party systems.
A legacy beyond the election
As the university community awaits the final and fair outcome, Akash Bhati’s fight has become more than just a contest over votes — it’s a stand for accountability, transparency, and the power of independent voices in a deeply entrenched political system. Regardless of the final verdict, his journey has sparked a larger conversation
