Bhubaneswar, Oct. 9: A group Utkal University students, allegedly backed by the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal, today gheraoed the vice-chancellor's office, demanding students' union polls.

Vice-chancellor S.M. Patnaik was present in his office when the students resorted to agitation barely a few hours after the university reopened following sine die. The authorities decided to reopen the varsity following a meeting with police officials.

The varsity had been closed sine die from September 19 after violence on the campus ahead of the students' union polls scheduled on September 23.

The agitating students, who said that calling off the students' union election was unwarranted, met Patnaik and urged him to notify holding of elections again.

'There is a need for a students' union in the varsity for overall development. We want elections to take place for the betterment of the students and the varsity,' said Ashish Jena, one of the agitating students.

Later in the day, Patnaik held a meeting with students and the PG Council chairman, in which it was decided that opinions would be sought from stakeholders of the varsity before any decision was taken in this regard.

'Legal opinion will be sought on possibility of holding the students' union election again after it had been cancelled once because of violence on the campus,' said Patnaik.

The existing provisions under the Lyngdoh Commission, though, do not allow holding of any election after it has been cancelled.

The university will also seek permission from the state government as it had notified the elections, and the police commissionerate that has to access the law and order situation on the campus.

'If we get green signal at all the three levels, we will hold a meeting of all the candidates, who had filed nominations for the elections and ask them if they are interested in taking part in the polls any more before a final decision is taken,' said PG Council chairman Brahmananda Satpathy.

Ahead of the polls, tension prevailed on the university campus after some unidentified persons hurled at least two high-intensity crackers there forcing the police to clamp prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC near the main gate.

Earlier, at least two students were injured after a group clash involving students and outsiders. A motorcycle was damaged during the clash.

The BJP's student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, Biju Chhatra Janata Dal and the Congress-backed NSUI have been blaming each other for widespread violence and cancellation of elections at the Utkal University and several colleges.

The police yesterday had asked the university authorities to install more CCTVs, allow entry of only students with identity cards and repair the damaged boundary walls to prevent entry of outsiders to the campus. There are 12 CCTVs on the campus.