22 candidates in fray for JNU students’ union polls

The nomination process for the keenly contested Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union (JNUSU) concluded on Wednesday with the varsity declaring valid 22 nominations for the central panel and 83 for the post of councillors.

“The nomination and withdrawal process has concluded. After the <g data-gr-id="27">scrutiny</g> 22 nominations were found valid for the Central Panel. While seven candidates are in <g data-gr-id="26">fray</g> for the post of president, nominations of four students have been accepted for the vice president post,” Praveen Thallapelli, the newly appointed CEC said.

“There are six and five candidates in <g data-gr-id="28">race</g> for the post of General Secretary and Joint Secretary. A total of 83 nominations were found valid for the councillors” he added.

JNUSU is the representative body of the students in the varsity. The polling is scheduled on September 11, same as that for the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU). The poll pattern at JNU, however, differs from that of Delhi University. Besides the routine campaigning, the candidates in JNU are also supposed to make speeches about their agenda followed by a round of questions at the “Presidential debate”.

The night-long event which is conducted in the style of US Presidential debate is a <g data-gr-id="25">sought after</g> <g data-gr-id="24">affair</g> and also a deciding factor for the union elections.

Left-backed All India Students’ Association (AISA) had swept the JNUSU polls last year bagging all the top four positions, including the President’s post, for the second consecutive year.