BANGALORE: Decades ago, Student Union elections were banned in Karnataka due to clashes between rival students, but Student Union elections in colleges and universities are set to return this year in the state after a Cabinet meeting approved holding elections.
Holding elections to the Students’ Union is not mandatory for a college or university. Elections will only be held if students decide that elections need to be held. The college management does not have the right to decide on holding elections to the student union.
“If the students decide against the elections, then the elections will not be held,” Deputy Chief Minister Dr G Parameshwar said in Bengaluru on Wednesday after a cabinet meeting. He explained that Student Union elections would be reintroduced to develop leadership skills among students, instilling in them democratic values, among other things.
Parameshwar said elections will be held for one post of president, two posts of vice presidents including one for a woman, a single post of general secretary, two joint secretaries of which one will be for women and 6 posts of the executive committee including two reserved for women members. “No reservation on the basis of caste will be allowed,” the Deputy Chief Minister said.
The Students’ Union elections were approved at a cabinet meeting based on the report of a committee headed by Medical Education Minister Dr Sharanprakash Patil.
The committee collected details of its visits to colleges and universities and submitted a report to the state government. In response to a question about election violence, Parameshwar said, “We will take measures to control it.” Parameshwar said more details regarding the conduct of the elections would be announced later.