Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, Sept. 28: Authorities of the Utkal University said they were ready to hold the students' union election if the police agreed to provide adequate security.
"The situation has worsened over the past few days, and there are criminal elements present on the campus. The situation can flare up any moment, and we are tensed. We are especially worried, because so many girls study here. When the situation is so vulnerable, how can we conduct the election without police support?" said a senior varsity official.
"We are ready to review our decision if the police agrees," he said.
With the poll situation still uncertain, students locked up the postgraduate council office and demonstrated before it for hours today, demanding the elections be held. The postgraduate council met again today but did not take any new decisions. The students had surrounded the postgraduate council chairman Ranjan Bal for several hours and demanded the holding of elections.
The authorities had decided to cancel the elections following a letter by police commissioner R.P. Sharma citing the deterioration of law and order amid sporadic incidents of violence on the campus and their unwillingness to provide protection during the election.
Student leaders affiliated to various political parties criticised the varsity decision. "Why should students give away their democratic rights because of the inefficiency and incompetence of the police and the varsity? If the elections are not declared, we will launch an indefinite hunger strike, and the varsity authorities will be responsible for the consequences," said Amit Jena, an aspirant.
Elections had been cancelled at the university in 2012 and 2013. It was, however, held in 2014. According to the schedule, the formal notification for the elections will be issued on October 3, and polls will be held on October 14. The swearing-in ceremony will take place on October 15.
Campus violence
Tension gripped Ravenshaw University today in the wake of a minor scuffle between two groups of students at the Ganesh idol immersion last night.
Demanding action against those involved in the clash, a students' group staged a demonstration and allegedly damaged the glass window of vice-chancellor Prakash Chandra Sarangi's car that was parked near his office today. However, the authorities said they were yet to identify and ascertain whether some student or outsiders were involved in today's incident.
Sarangi said: "We are reviewing the campus situation. If serious unrest prevails on campus, then we might cancel the students' union election."
Keeping in view the upcoming election, entry of outsiders will be restricted and only students with valid identity cards will be allowed on campus.
