Patna: The Patna University students' union (Pusu) election is turning out to be a big headache for the varsity administration.

The university administration conducted the students' union election after a five-year gap on February 17 - on the Raj Bhavan's directive - so that elected students can raise students' issues in the right forum. But the same election is now becoming a bone of contention between elected students' union members and other students' bodies.

The united Left parties (AISF, AISA), Madhepura MP Pappu Yadav's Jan Adhikar Chhatra Parishad (JACP), Congress students' union NSUI, Chhatra RJD and others are demanding that the varsity cancel the entire poll process. The protest began on February 17 when Pusu election results were declared. Rebel ABVP candidate Divyanshu Bhardwaj had won the president's post. The posts of vice-president, general secretary and treasurer went to the ABVP. Only one seat was won by JACP.

"Patna University's entire focus in the past two months has been to find an amicable solution between different students bodies," a senior Patna University teacher said. "On the night of February 17 when results were announced, the non-ABVP student bodies staged a protest demanding election cancellation." On the demand by students' bodies, the PU administration constituted a three-member probe panel to check the educational qualifications of the president and vice-president. Based on the panel's recommendation, the administration cancelled the candidature of the Pusu president and vice-president. It then faced protests from Divyanshu and ABVP supporters. Later, the varsity restored the union presi-dent-elect's candidature following directions from Patna High Court.

"For the past two months, the campus has been witnessing protests from different students' bodies," said Naveen Kumar, a post-graduate student at Darbhanga House.

"As the protest has at many a times turned violent, we students are even afraid to visit the main administrative campus for work."

But the PU vice-chancellor claimed the varsity administration took the decision based on Patna High Court's directive and after going through the Patna University Act and Lyngdoh committee's recommendations. "The oath ceremony of winning candidates was organised based on Patna High Court's recommendations. Delaying it would have amounted to contempt of court."