The Calcutta High Court on Thursday directed the West Bengal government to clarify within two weeks how it plans to conduct long-pending students’ union elections in colleges and universities across the state.
The directive came from a division bench comprising Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Smita Das De while hearing a petition filed by a lawyer who alleged that elections to student bodies have not been held in many institutions for nearly ten years.
During the hearing, the state government’s counsel cited the absence of permanent vice-chancellors in most universities as a significant hurdle. The counsel added that the matter of vice-chancellor appointments is currently under litigation.
However, the petitioner contended that the holding of student body elections does not require the presence of permanent vice-chancellors and urged the court to direct the state to proceed with the democratic process regardless.
The issue has gained renewed attention following a recent order by the High Court to lock all students’ union rooms in colleges lacking elected student bodies. This order came in the wake of a gangrape allegation at a law college in South Kolkata, which raised concerns about safety and accountability on campuses.
