JNU records over 53% polling; slogans, songs mark the day

Singing of self-composed songs, <g data-gr-id="26">dafli</g> beats and shouting of slogans marked the polling day at Jawaharlal Nehru University which recorded a voter turnout of 53.3 <g data-gr-id="44">per cent</g> in its students’ union polls where campus security and hostel facilities surfaced as the key issues.

The polling has witnessed a marginal dip of 1.58 per cent as against last years percentage when a turnout of 54.58 per cent was recorded.

“The poll process went peacefully. The voter turnout was 53.3 per cent. While 8400 students were registered on the electoral rolls, the total number of votes polled were 4481,” the CEC for JNU polls Praveen Thallapelli said. The voting, which began on a slow note in the first half of the day, gained momentum post lunch as students queued up to cast their ballot. Students sang songs and danced to the tune of <g data-gr-id="34">dafli</g> beats outside the polling centres and shouted slogans in support of their candidates.

“Polling for the first half of the day began at 9.30 am and was extended by half an hour from the scheduled 1.00 pm. After a lunch break, it resumed at 2.30 pm and ended around 5.30 pm,” Thallapelli said. 

Two representatives of the Visually Challenged Students’ Forum in <g data-gr-id="32">JNU,</g> assisted the visually impaired students as they cast their ballot using an interactive HTML portal, which was introduced last year. 

The counting of votes will begin amid security tonight after 9 pm and results are expected to come on September 13. A total of 22 candidates are testing their electoral fortunes for the Central Panel and 83 are in <g data-gr-id="30">fray</g> for the post of councillors. While seven candidates from major students’ organisations are in the fray for the coveted presidential post in the JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU), four candidates for the posts of Vice-President, six and five nominees for General Secretary and Joint Secretary respectively are contesting the polls.