Security stepped up ahead of Sept 10 polling

With the date of students’ union election approaching near, members of various students’ groups have intensified the pitch of their election campaign in DAV (PG) College on Saturday. The polling will be held on September 10 in the College. Meanwhile, the district administration has deployed additional police forces in the college premises to ensure glitch-free election.

Many students’ groups, including Akhil Bharatiya Vidharthi Parishad (ABVP), are yet to announce their candidates. Yet, ABVP supporters are in the thick of campaigning inside the campus premises. They keep staging rallies to canvass support for their yet-to-be-announced candidates.  However, National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has declared its candidate — Navdeep Negi — for the post of president. Seemingly at an advantage vis-a-vis ABVP on this count, its activists are now busy wooing the voters.  

In view of the recent scuffles among the members of some students’ groups and the simmering tension thereafter, the administration has deployed adequate police force in the campus. They are now on their toes with the rivals staging rallies.  Cops are being seen shadowing these rallies to see to it that nothing untoward results from them.

Side by side with the election momentum picking up, the college was abuzz with new students and also those students whose names have figured in the merit- list in the wake of the college authority having published the   list for admissions in various bachelor degree courses. The students who have their names figuring in the list were seen busy in getting admission in the college.

To show strength and to woo the voters, the supporters of various students’ groups were seen making rounds the campus in rallies and shouting slogans as part of electioneering.

They were found adopting other methods to connect with the electorate by way of distributing pamphlets, interacting with new students, helping the students during the admission process, among others, to endear themselves to such students. 

However, the outsiders involving themselves in these rallies cannot be ruled out. If things were so it would amount to blatant violation of lyngdoh Committee recommendations. Despite the college election officer having invoked lyngdoh Committee recommendation to keep the outsiders at bay, the college authority seems to have done nothing on the ground to stop outsiders from getting into the campus.

Following cap on admissions in DAV (PG) College, many college students’ leaders expressed disappointment as a large number of students will be left outside the realm of the college’s democratic engagement this year. It should be mentioned here that the college had released last year a list where around 20, 000 students had figured as voters. After completion of the admission process, the college is set to release a list where around 10, 000 students would figure as voters this year due to the admissions being thus capped.