Patna: The election process for Patna University's students' union began on Wednesday with the varsity administration issuing a notification.

The Patna University students union (Pusu) election will be held for 28 posts, which includes five central panel posts at the varsity - president, vice president, general secretary, joint secretary and treasurer. Twenty-three executive members will be filled from college and post-graduate departments.

The number of executive members per college and department will be decided on the basis of student strength in colleges and post-graduate departments respectively. The Patna Women's College will send four executive members as the college has the highest student strength under the varsity. Magadh Mahila College will have three executive members and BN College, Patna Science College and Patna College two executive members each.

Patna University dean, students' welfare, N.K. Jha said: "With the issue of notification, the election process has commenced. History department teacher P.K. Poddar has been made the chief electoral officer of Pusu election. That apart, all college principals and four deans from different faculties have been made electoral officers who will assist the chief electoral officer in conducting the election process."

The students' union election will be held as per Lyngdoh committee recommendations. All regular students can contest the election.

Undergraduate students in the age group of 17 to 22 years can contest the election, while for post-graduate and LLB students the upper age limit is 25, for LLM students it is 27 and for registered research scholars the upper age limit is 28 years.

With the PU administration issuing notification for students' union elections, the varsity administrations will issue electoral rolls of students on February 2.

The electoral rolls will have the name of students, college/departments in which he or she is studying and course. Students spotting any mistake in their electoral rolls can apply for change with the varsity administration uploading the revised electoral roll by February 6.

They can start availing nomination papers from February 6. Candidates with nomination papers will be provided the code of conduct and rule book for election.

The elections will be held from 8am to 2pm on February 17 and the university will announce the results by evening the same day.

The student leaders have welcomed the PU administration for issuing election notification. Sujit Kumar, a post graduate student associated with the ABVP, said: "With the varsity administration issuing notification for students union elections, electioneering will gain momentum at the varsity."