The counting of votes for the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) elections was suspended by the Election Committee (EC) on Friday-Saturday night alleging that ABVP presidential and a joint secretary candidate from a student organisation 'forcibly' entered into the counting venue and attempted to snatch away the sealed ballot boxes as well as ballot papers. However the student organisation has denied the charges and accused the EC of 'rigging' election in favour of Left organisations and for starting the counting process in absence of its agents.
The counting however resumed at 6.45 pm on Saturday.
“They even intimidated the EC members including our female members,” said Himanshu Kulshrestha, chairperson, EC. The counting of votes started at 10 pm on Friday after the polling of the votes till evening. Members of various student organisations protested outside the counting venue accusing each other of violence and intimidation. They even clashed among themselves.
“EC is guilty of breaking the seal of ballot box and starting the counting of Central Panel votes without the presence of counting agents of the candidates or candidate affiliated to ABVP. The rule requires that the candidate or their counting agent must see every paper ballot. This action by EC is illegal. When the objection was registered by ABVP, workers of Left organizations started manhandling ABVP counting agents. Most of the Left organization workers are not even the students of JNU. They stormed into the counting complex and started with violence and abusive sloganeering. Even the EC members joined them in manhandling the proposed counting agents of ABVP,” said Vijay Kumar ,president ABVP, JNU.
A joint statement was made by All JNU Organisations accusing ABVP members of violence.
“Late night on Friday, the EC made announcements calling for candidates to send their counting agents for central panel votes from the combined schools (science schools and smaller schools). ABVP did not send counting agents even after the last call was made. Long after sealed ballot boxes were opened and counting began, ABVP demanded that its agents be allowed in, and resorted to violence” said the joint statement.
“ABVP refused to follow rules that are applicable to everyone. They broke the door of SIS-I building where counting is happening, and the barricades in front. They manhandled the guards on duty, snatched phones from people who were video recording and also assaulted some of the journalists who were present there. The joint secretary candidate from ABVP even started threatening that he won't let the election process to proceed. These acts of vandalising public property and attacking the students, EC members and guards are nothing but the reflection of their frustration of being rejected by the student community” it said.
Election Committee clarified that it made the three announcement calls and communicated to the students gathered outside the SIS I building (counting venue) via loudspeaker. After that the EC members informed the security guards about it and asked them to gather any counting agents.
“Fourteen counting agents for ten different candidates had reported at the counting venue after which counting process had started and sealed boxes were opened in the presence of the counting agents” said EC.
EC stated that as per the established norms, no new counting agents can enter the counting venue, once the seal of the boxes is opened.
“Election Committee had to reject the request of new counting agents being allowed inside that respective counting venue. Few students had forcefully entered the building and reached the counting venue, thus we had to suspend the counting process till students without proper authorization are cleared of the SIS I building premises,” said Himanshu Kulshrestha, chairperson, EC.