Cuttack, Sept. 8: Ravenshaw University authorities are now looking at its executive council meeting on October 14 to decide the fate of its students' election.

The election was deferred indefinitely following students' protest over the alternative model of indirect poll broached by the varsity.

The state higher education department had issued an advisory asking universities and colleges to complete students' union polls by September 23. But as things stand now, there is no chance of the election being held at Ravenshaw University in another three weeks.

Its bid to adopt an alternative model of students' representation hit a roadblock with a combined front of students' organisations stalling the students' council election on August 22, forcing the university to defer it indefinitely.

University registrar Maheswar Agasti said: 'It is up to the executive council now to take a decision on the matter. So, a decision on the students' election issue is expected to be taken only when the executive council meets on October 14.'

The university had planned to replace a single apex body, such as the students' union with students' councils, for each of the nine schools consisting of 34 departments. The university had also decided to make the indirect election of students' representation a two-day affair - to be conducted on August 22 and 23 - and accordingly issued a notice to that effect on August 21. The university authorities expected the students to attend classes as usual during the two days and take part in the students' council election during the time allotted for it in their respective classrooms.

But the election could not be held following widespread protest and resentment among various students' organisations who called a strike on the two poll days. There was very low turnout of students to attend classes on those two days and even those who turned up could not go to cast their votes due to a blockade by the combined front of students' organisations.

'We were left with no option but to keep the election in abeyance till further decision. Now, the executive council will take a decision on this,' chairman of the council of deans Gauranga Nanda said.

The combined front of students' organisations opposed the alternative model of students' representation on the ground that it was an affront against the democratic rights of the students. The organisations included All India Democratic Students' Organisation, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Biju Chatra Janata Dal and National Students' Union of India.

The Ravenshaw Bikash Abhijan (RBA), members of which constitutes of city's socio-political activists and old student leaders, also opposed the alternative model of students' representation as it believes that the new model gives a go-by to the Supreme Court direction on students union elections.

'We had planned to seek the intervention of the high court. But, we have not yet filed the case as there has been no cause for action so far because the university has postponed the elections indefinitely. We are looking forward to its decisions,' said president of the RBA Chittaranjan Mohanty.