New Delhi, Dec. 8: The Supreme Court today vacated its three-year-old stay on students’ union elections at Jawaharlal Nehru University while granting its students two poll-related concessions not available on any other campus.

The court relaxed the age ceiling for contestants from 28 to 30 years and allowed the use of posters. It, however, refused to relax any other rule, which means a grievance redress committee must be formed and the ban on candidates contesting twice stays.

JNU had last held student elections in 2007. In contrast with other universities, the students themselves conduct the elections at JNU, through an election commission set up by the students’ organisations that decides the code of conduct and procedures.

However, JNU student elections had been violating several key provisions recommended by a panel headed by former Chief Election Commissioner J.M. Lyngdoh and accepted by the apex court. The panel had suggested nationwide campus poll reforms to ensure they were not influenced by money or muscle.

For instance, the Lyngdoh committee had suggested the 28-year age limit, poster ban, and a bar on candidates contesting more than once. It had said a student with criminal antecedents should be banned from contesting, and outside leaders from campaigning.

When JNU polls flouted these provisions, the apex court took cognisance on its own in 2008 and imposed a stay. The students’ unions formed a Joint Students Committee, which petitioned against the stay order.

Last year, the apex court appointed then solicitor-general Gopal Subramanium as the amicus curiae (friend of the court) and directed him to work out a solution after talking to the students’ organisations. After the talks, Subramanium suggested relaxation of the curbs on posters, candidates’ age and their eligibility to contest a second time.

The court today accepted two of his recommendations but refused to let a candidate contest a second time.

Since JNU does not have a system to record attendance, the court waived the mandatory 75 per cent attendance that candidates need to contest at other institutions.

But the court insisted that no student who faces a criminal chargesheet can contest, and barred outside leaders from campaigning. It said a grievance redress committee should be set up with representatives from the administration, teachers’ organisations, and students.

Student bodies such as the AISA, SFI, AISF, ABVP and NSUI held a meeting in the evening and decided to hold the election in keeping with the court directions.

“The major students’ unions met and discussed the Supreme Court’s order and agreed to hold the elections as per the direction,” said Sandeep Singh, the JNU students’ union president of 2007.

The associate dean of students’ welfare, S. Sinha, welcomed the court decision. “We haven’t got the court order but it’s good to have the elections after three years,” he said.