Hours after Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia announced the resumption of student union elections after a nearly two-decade hiatus, fresh protests erupted on campus on Monday as students demanded a time-bound election process and the appointment of a chief election officer.
“We want the administration to appoint a chief election officer and fast-track the election process. “From admissions to hostel seats to food in the mess, there is a problem with everything at Jamia. We don’t have anyone between us, the students, and the Jamia administration. The announcement came after nearly two weeks of protests and hunger strikes on campus over the restoration of the JMISU. The decision followed nearly five hours of negotiations between student representatives and university officials. The administration also revoked suspension orders and show-cause notices issued to some students and assured an inquiry into the conduct of security personnel during the protests. Suspension and show-cause notices issued to students are hereby revoked.
The absence of an elected student body has left students without an effective channel to communicate their grievances to the university administration, a 20-year-old student told HT. On Monday, the university administration announced that student union elections would be held within 15 days of the approval of the students’ union constitution, HT reported earlier. “The Jamia Millia Islamia Students Union Election will be held after 15 days, from the date of approval of the constitution of the students’ union.
Until then, the protest will continue,” Asif Khan, a student at JMI’s Faculty of Law, told HT. We want a union to bridge that gap,” the student said. A committee shall be constituted to enquire into the actions of security staff during the period of protest,” JMI registrar Professor Mahtab Alam Rizvi said in a statement. Despite the administration’s assurance on elections and the withdrawal of disciplinary notices, the protesters said several demands remained unresolved and refused to call off the agitation.
