Stories
Maharashtra Prepares to Revive Student Union Elections After 33 Years; Committee Formed.
- •Maharashtra government is preparing to restart student union elections after a 33-year hiatus.
- •The Devendra Fadnavis government formed a 12-member committee to determine how student representatives should be elected.
- •Chaired by former Mumbai University VC Professor Suhas Pednekar, the committee has one month to submit its report.
- •Student union elections were banned in 1994 following a violent incident in 1989, including the murder of NSUI leader Owen D'Souza.
- •The committee will focus on ensuring peaceful, transparent elections, preventing external political interference, and managing funds.
Key Questions Answered
The Maharashtra government formed a 12-member committee, chaired by former Mumbai University Vice-Chancellor Professor Suhas Pednekar, to determine how student representatives should be elected in state colleges and universities and to create a blueprint for a peaceful, transparent, and inclusive electoral system.
The last time college and university students in Maharashtra voted to elect their representatives was in 1993, after which the electoral process was halted due to violence, complaints of external political interference, and an incident involving the murder of an NSUI leader.
According to advocate Amol Matele, while holding elections immediately may not be possible, the entire preparation process can be completed before the next academic session, raising the possibility of holding student union elections in July 2027.
