Counting of votes for the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students; union polls was halted today after an alleged disruption by member of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members. The ABVP members alleged that they were not informed about the process.
Image: PTI
The JNU Election Committee said in a statement that it suspended the Counting temporarily, “JNUSU EC 2018-19 hereby brings to the immediate notice of media friends that during the counting process, which had begun yesterday (14th September 2018) at 10 pm has been suspended due to forcibly entering into the counting venue and attempt to snatch away the sealed ballot boxes as well as ballot papers from our counting centres. This was in addition to intimidation and violence on our Election Committee, including on our female members led by a Presidential and a Joint Secretary candidate”
Students from Left student unions alleged that the ABVP created a ruckus and indulged in vandalising stuff. They said, “The counting process, which began on September 14 at 10 pm has been suspended due to forcible entry into the counting venue and attempts to snatch away the sealed ballot boxes as well as ballot papers from our counting centres.”
A student updated, “ABVP breaks into the counting process, heckles the Election Committee, attacks the members, damages property and harasses students. Election Committee is deeply shocked and has demanded unconditional apology from ABVP so this act is not repeated, but they have refused to issue anything.
The student community stands with Election Committee and unequivocally condemns the violence and urges them to take appropriate action on these goons and their candidates”
As per the students’ testimonies, students including women faced intimidation. The Left Unity claimed that, “Around 4:00 am, ABVP broke the glasses of the School of International Studies building. EC stopped the counting indefinitely.”
Reportedly ABVP counting agent didn’t make it on time. And the ABVP president alleged later that their counting agent wasn’t called.
In a collective statement, representatives from a number of other parties including the Left bloc, NSUI, BAPSA and others have demanded that “the ABVP members- Saurabh Sharma, Raghavendra Mishra, Akhilesh Pathak and others vacate the counting venue immediately to allow the election process to continue”.
“The ABVP’s acts constitute a serious violation of the election process. The ABVP by indulging in violence has not only disrupted the counting process but also sought to undermine the sanctity of the student EC whose decision is abided by all organisations,” the joint statement says.
The voter turn-out in the current election was 67.8%, which is being seen as the highest in the recent years with over 5000 students casting their votes.
All India Students’ Association (AISA), Students’ Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Students’ Federation (DSF) and All India Students’ Federation (AISF) have come together to form the United-Left alliance.