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Election to the Magadh University Students’ Union, which is being held after 32 years, will be different from the two earlier polls held in 1977 and 1980.
The election on February 14 will be different in terms of participation of students in the election process, representation of students’ representatives in various bodies of the university like the senate and the academic council and election of the central union executive members.
A large group of students in around 130 affiliated colleges under the Magadh University would be part of the election. However, the Intermediate students will not be part of the election process. Neither would they cast votes to elect their representatives nor they be able to contest the coming election.
Only students enrolled in postgraduate, professional and vocational courses at the university headquarters, besides those in the degree, postgraduate, professional and vocational courses in 44 constituent colleges functioning under the university, have been included in the voters’ list, sources said.
Students enrolled in Intermediate courses in these constituent colleges have not been included in the list.
During the elections held in 1977 and 1980, students enrolled in all conventional courses, including the Intermediate, degree or PG of 36 constituent and other affiliated colleges, had cast their votes.
The university president of 1977 and 1980 elections, Baban Singh, who is now principal of TPS College, Patna, and principal in-charge of BS College, Danapur (Patna), told The Telegraph that during the last two elections, the central union executive members were elected directly through the voting process.
“Another difference between the elections held earlier and that of 2013 is that the function and power of the union have not been defined in the notification issued for the election this time,” Magadh University Postgraduate Teachers’ Association former president Sunil Kumar Singh said.
In the elections in 1977 and 1980, the function and the power of the union were well defined ahead the poll process. The university president was the ex-officio member of the university academic council for five years.
“From among the elected students’ union office-bearers, five representatives were elected as members of the senate — the apex body or the parliament of a university. However, the election for five senate members from among students’ representatives is not being held this time,” Singh said.
Magadh University acting vice-chancellor Arun Kumar said he is monitoring the elections and the priority is to ensure transparency in the entire process.
“The elections are being held under Section IV-B of the Lyngdoh Committee Recommendation and there will be no deviation from the norms recomm- ended by the committee in all terms whether it is participation of students as voters, contestants or others,” the vice-chancellor added.
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