Siliguri, June 7: The North Bengal University has been without a student union since March and the situation is likely to remain so for three more months given that the varsity will be busy conducting post-graduate examination and admission to the PG courses.
The varsity had scheduled elections to the student union for March 30 and a notification was issued in the first week of March, declaring the dissolution of the existing union.
The distribution of nomination forms, too, began, but all election-related activities were suspended for an indefinite period when the model code of conduct came into force for the Assembly polls.
According to sources at the varsity, the union elections are less likely to be held before September. “The summer vacations started on June 1 and PG exams for Part I and Part II will start after the varsity reopens on July 3. The exams are scheduled for the whole of July and August will be devoted to the students’ admission to PG. So, it is impossible to hold the union poll during this period,” said a source.
“Moreover, a fresh electoral list with names of the PG first-year students will have to be prepared to hold polls to the student union. Considering all these factors, the union polls will be conducted after three months,” the source added.
The elections are to be held to 86 seats and the Chhattra Parishad, Trinamul Chhattra Parishad and the SFI as the main contenders.
The NBU has been an SFI stronghold for several years and the CPM student wing had won the elections to the last union also.
Previously, the union polls would be completed in March and the newly elected body was responsible for conducting events like socials, cultural function and games in April and May.
“The NBU holds three days of cultural function, two days of socials and 14 days of games every year. These events are conducted in April and May and the entire responsibility lies with the union. As the polls have been postponed for an indefinite period, the events could not be held. We had requested the authorities to take up the responsibility to organise the functions, but have got no response,” said a PG second year student.
NBU authorities refrained from making any comment.
