COLLEGE UNION ELECTION
College Union Election will be conducted on the basis of the recommendation of the
Lyngdoh Commission.
6.1.1. Universities and colleges across the country must ordinarily conduct elections
for the appointment of students to student represen-tative bodies. These
elections may be conduc ted in the manner pre-scribed herein, or in a manner that
conforms to the stan dards pre-scribed herein.
6.1.2. Where the atmosphere of the university campus is adverse to the conduct of
peaceful, free and fair elections, the university , its con-stituent colleges and
departments must initiate a system of student representation based on
nominations, especially where elec tions are being held at present. It would be
advisable, however, not to base such nomination system on purely academic
merit, as is being practiced throughout the country.
6.1.3. In cases where elections are not being held, or where the nomination model
prevails, the nomination model should be allowed to continue for a limited period
of time. It is to be noted that the nomination system suffers from several flaws,
and must only be resorted to as an INTERIM MEASURE.
6.1.4. Subject to the recommendations in respect of the possible models of elections, all
institutions must, over a period of 5 years, convert from the nomination model to
a structured election model, that may be based on a system of parliamentary
(indirect) elections, or on the presidential (direct) system, or a hybrid of both. It is
highly desirable that all institutions follow this mechanism of gradual
conversion, especially for privately funded institutions that prefer a status quo
situation.
6.1.5. All institutions must conduct a review of the student representation mechanism.
The first review may be conducted after a period of 2 years of the implementation
of the mechanism detailed above, and the second review may be conducted after
the 3rd or the 4th year of implementation. The primary objective of these reviews
will be to ascertain the success of the representation and election mechanism in
each individual institution, so as to decide whether or not to imple-ment a full-
fledged election structure. Needless to say these reviews will be based on a
consideration of the views and sugges tions of all stakeholders, such as students,
faculty, administration,student bodies, and parents
6.1.6. Institutions must, as a primary objective, subject to the pertinent issue of
discipline on campus, seek to implement a structured system of student elections
by the conclusion of a period of 5 years from the date of the implementation of
these recommendations.
6.1.7. Subject to the autonomy of the universities in respect of the choice of the mode of
election, all universities must institute an apex student representative body that
represents all students, colleges, and departments coming under the particular
university. In the event that the university is geographically widespread,
individual colleges may constitute their own representative bodies, which would
further elect representatives for the apex university body.
6.1.8. The union/representative body so elected shall only comprise of regular students
on the rolls of the institution. No faculty member, nor any member of the
administration shall be permitted to hold any post on the executive of such
representative body, nor shall be allowed to be a member of any such
representative body.
6.2. Modes of Elections
6.2.1. A system of direct election of the office bearers of the student body whereby all
students of all constituent colleges, as well as all students of the university
departments vote directly for the office bearers. This model may be followed in
smaller universities with welldefined single campuses (for e.g. JNU/University
of Hyderabad), and with a relatively smaller student population. A graphic
represen-tation of this model is annexed herewith at Annexure IV-A. Inrespect of
universities with large, widespread campuses and large student bodies, either of
the following models may be adopted:
6.2.2. A system of elections, where colleges and campuses directly elect college and
campus office bearers, as well as university representatives. The university
representatives form an electoral college, which shall elect the university student
union office bearers. A graphic representation of this model is annexed herewith
at Annexure IV-B.
6.2.3. A system of elections where on one hand, directly elected class representatives
elect the office bearers of the college as well as the university representatives, and
the campus itself directly elects the campus office bearers and the university
representatives. The university representatives shall form an electoral college,
which shall elect the office bearer of the university student union. A graphic
representation of this model is annexed herewith at Annexure IV-C.
6.2.4. A system of election wherein class representatives shall be directly elected in the
colleges and university campus and they in turn shall elect the office bearers for
the college unions and the university campus union. Also they shall elect their
representatives for university student union. These elected representatives from
col legesand university campus shall form the Electoral College, which shall elect
the office bearers of the university student union. This model shall be applicable
to large university with large number of affiliatedcolleges.A graphic
representation of this model is annexed herewithat Annexure IV-D.
6.3. Disassociation of Student Elections and Student Representation from Political
Parties
6.3.1. During the period of the elections no person, who is not a student on the rolls of
the college/university, shall be permitted to take part in the election process in
any capacity. Any person, candidate, or member of the student organisation,
violating this rule shall be subject to disciplinary proceedings, in addition to the
candidature, as the case may be, being revoked.
6.4. Frequency and Duration of the Election Process
6.4.1. It is recommended that the entire process of elections, commencing from the date
of filing of nomination papers to the date of declaration of results, including the
campaign period, should not exceed 10 days.
6.4.2. It is further recommended that elections be held on a yearly basis and that the
same should be held between 6 to 8 weeks from the date of commencement of the
academic session.
6.5. Eligibility Criteria for Candidates
6.5.1. Under graduate students between the ages of 17 - 22 may contest elections. This
age range may be appropriately relaxed in the case of professional colleges,
where courses often range between 4 to 5 years.
6.5.2. For Postgraduate students the maximum age limit to legitimately contest and
election would be 24 – 25 years.
6.5.3. For research students the maximum age limit to legitimately contest an election
would be 28 years.
6.5.4. Although, the Committee would refrain from prescribing any particular minimum
marks to be attained by the candidate, the candidate should in no event have any
academic arrears in the year of contest-ing the election.
6.5.5. The candidate should have attained the minimum percentage of attendance as
prescribed by the university or 75% attendance, whichever is higher.
6.5.6. The candidate shall have one opportunity to contest for the post of office bearer,
and two opportunities to contest for the post of an executive member.
6.5.7. The candidate shall not have a previous criminal record, that is to say he should
not have been tried and/or convicted of any criminal offence or misdemeanor.
The candidate shall also not have been subject to any disciplinary action by the
University authorities.
6.5.8. The candidate must be a regular, full time student of the college / university and
should not be a distance/proximate education student. That is to say that all
eligible candidates must be enrolled in a full time course, the course duration
being at least one year.
6.6. Election - Related Expenditure and Financial Accountability
6.6.1. The maximum permitted expenditure per candidate shall be Rs. 5000/
6.6.2. Each candidate shall, within two weeks of the declaration of the result, submit
complete and audited accounts to the college / university authorities. The
college/university shall publish such audited accounts, within 2 days of the
submission of such accounts, through a suitable medium so that any member of
the student body may freely examine the same.
6.6.3. The election of the candidate will be nullified in the event of any noncompliance
or in the event of any excessive expenditure.
6.6.4. With the view to prevent the inflow of funds from political parties into the
student election process, the candidates are specially barred from utilizing funds
from any other sources than voluntary contributions from the student body.
6.7. Code of Conduct for Candidates and Elections Administrators
6.7.1. No candidate shall indulge in, nor shall abet, any activity, which may aggravate
existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different
castes and communities, religious or linguistic, or between any group(s) of
students.
6.7.2. Criticism of other candidates, when made, shall be confined to their policies and
programs, past record and work. Candidates shall refrain from criticism of all
aspects of private life, not connected with the public activities of the other
candidates or supporters of such other candidates. Criticism of other candidates,
or their supporters based on unverified allegations or distortion shall be avoided.
6.7.3. There shall be no appeal to caste or communal feelings for securing votes. Places
of worship, within or without the campus shall not be used for election
propaganda.
6.7.4. All candidates shall be prohibited from indulging or abetting, all activities which
are considered to be “corrupt practices” and offences, such as bribing of voters,
intimidation of voters, impersonation of voters, canvassing or the use of
propaganda within 100 meters of polling stations, holding public meetings during
the period of 24 hours ending with the hour fixed for the close of the poll, and the
transport and conveyance of voters to and from polling station.
6.7.5. No candidate shall be permitted to make use of printed posters, printed
pamphlets, or any other printed material for the purpose of canvassing.
Candidates may only utilize hand-made posters for the purpose of canvassing,
provided that such hand-made posters are procured within the expenditure limit
set out herein above.
6.7.6. Candidates may only utilize hand-made posters at certain places in the campus,
which shall be notified in advance by the election commission / university
authority.
6.7.7. No candidate shall be permitted to carry out processions, or public meetings, or in
any way canvass or distribute propaganda outside the university/college campus.
6.7.8. No candidate shall, nor shall his/her supporters, deface or cause any destruction to
any property of the university / college campus, for any purpose whatsoever,
without the prior written permission of the college / university authorities. All
candidates shall be held jointly and severally liable for any destruction / defacing
of any university / college property.
6.7.9. During the election period the candidates may hold processions and / or public
meetings, provided that such processions and / or public meetings do not, in any
manner, disturb the classes and other academic and co-curricular activities of the
college / university. Further, such procession / public meeting may not be held
without the prior written permission of the college / university authority.
6.7.10. The use of loudspeakers, vehicles and animals for the purpose of canvassing shall
be prohibited.
6.7.11. On the day of polling, student organizations and candidates shall: (i) co-operate
with the officers on election duty to ensure peaceful and orderly polling and
complete freedom to the voters to exercise their franchise without being subjected
to any annoyanceor obstruction; (ii) not serve or distribute any eatables, or other
solid and liquid consumables, except water on polling day; (iii) not hand out any
propaganda on the polling day.
6.7.12. Excepting the voters, no one without a valid pass / letter of authority from the
election commission or from the college / university authorities shall enter the
polling booths.
6.7.13. The election commission / college/ university authorities shall appoint impartial
observers. In the case of deemed universities and self financed institutions,
government servants may be appointed as observers. If the candidates have any
specific complaint or problem regarding the conduct of the elections they may
bring the same to the notice of the observer. Observers shall also be appointed to
oversee the process of nomination of students in institutions that are following the
nomination model of student representation.
6.7.14. All candidates shall be jointly responsible for ensuring the cleaning up of the
polling area within 48 hours of the conclusion of polling.
6.7.15. Any contravention of any of the above recommendations may make the candidate
liable to be stripped of his candidature, or his elected post, as the case may be.
The election commission / college / university authorities may also take
appropriate disciplinary action against such a violator.
6.7.16. In addition to the above mentioned code of conduct, it is also recommended that
certain provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (Section 153A and Chapter
IXA – “Offences Relating to Election”), may also be made applicable to student
elections.
6.8. Grievance Redressal Mechanism
6.8.1. There should be a Grievances Redressal Cell with the Dean (Student Welfare) /
teacher in-charge of student affairs as its chairman. In addition, one senior faculty
member, one senior administrative officer and two final year students – one boy
and one girl (till the election results declared, students can be nominated on the
basis of merit and/or participation in the co-curricular activities in the previous
year). The grievance cell shall be mandated with the redressal of electionrelated
grievances, including, but not limited to breaches of the code of conduct of
elections and complaints relating to election-related expenditure. This cell would
be the regular unit of the institution.
6.8.2. In pursuit of its duties, the grievance cell may prosecute violators of any aspect
of the code of conduct or the rulings of the grievance cell. The grievance cell
shall serve as the court of original jurisdiction. The institutional head shall have
appellate jurisdiction over issues of law and fact in all cases or controversies
arising out of the conduct of the elections in which the grievance cell has issued a
final decision. Upon review, the institutional head may revoke or modify the
sanctions imposed by the grievance cell.
6.8.3. In carrying out the duties of the office, the Grievance cell shall conduct
proceedings and hearings necessary to fulfill those duties. In executing those
duties they shall have the authority: (i) to issue a writ of subpoena to compel
candidates, agents, and workers, and to request students to appear and give
testimony, as well as produce necessary records; and (ii) to inspect the financial
reports of any candidate and make these records available for public scrutiny
upon request.
6.8.4. Members of the grievance cell are prohibited from filing complaints. Any other
student may file a complaint with the grievance cell, within a period of 3 weeks
from the date of declaration of results. All complaints must be filed under the
name of the student filing the complaint. The grievance cell shall act on all
complaints within 24 hours after they are received by either dismissing them or
calling a hearing.
6.8.5. The grievance cell may dismiss a complaint if: (i) the complaint was not filed
within the time frame prescribed in Recommendation 8.4 above; (ii) the
complaint fails to state a cause of action for which relief may be granted; (iii) the
complaint has not and / or likely will not suffer injury or damage.
6.8.6. If a complaint is not dismissed, then a hearing must be held. The grievance cell
shall inform, in writing, or via e-mail, the complaining party and all individuals or
groups named in the complaint of the time and place of the hearing. The parties
are not considered notified until they have received a copy of the complaint.
6.8.7. The hearing shall be held at the earliest possible time, but not within twentyfour
(24) hours after receipt of the notice described above, unless all parties agree to
waive the 24-hour time constraint.
6.8.8. At the time notice of a hearing is issued, the grievance cell, by majority vote,
may issue a temporary restraining order, if it determines that such action is
necessary to prevent undue or adverse effects on any individual or entity. Any
restraining order, once issued, will remain in effect until a decision of the
grievance cell is announced after the hearing or until rescinded by the grievance
cell.
6.8.9. All grievance cell hearings, proceedings, and meetings must be open to the public
6.8.10. All parties of the grievance cell hearing shall present themselves at the hearing,
may be accompanied by any other student from which they can receive counsel,
and have the option to be represented by that counsel.
6.8.11. For any hearing, a majority of sitting grievance cell members must be in
attendance with the chair of the grievance cell presiding. In the absence of the
chair, the responsibility to preside shall fall to an grievance cell member
designated by the chair.
6.8.12. The grievance cell shall determine the format for the hearing, but must require
that both the complaining and responding parties appear physically before the
board to discuss the issues through a complaint, answered, rebuttal, and rejoinder
format. The purpose of the hearing is to gather the information necessary to make
a decision, order, or ruling that will resolve an election dispute. To effectuate this
purpose, the following rules should prevail at all hearings:
• Complaining parties shall be allowed no more than two witnesses, however the
grievance cell may call witnesses as required. If said witnesses are unable to
appear at the hearing, signed affidavits may be submitted the the grievance cell
chair for the purpose of testifying by proxy.
• All questions and discussions by the parties in dispute shall be directed to the
grievance cell.
• There shall be no direct or cross-examination of any party or witness by
complaining or responding parties during hearings.
• Reasonable time limits may be set by the grievance cell, provided they give fair
and equal treatment to both sides.
• The complaining party shall bear the burden of proof.
• Decisions, orders, and rulings of the grievance cell must be concurred to by a
majority of the grievance cell present and shall be announced as soon as possible
after the hearing. The grievance cell shall issue a written opinion of the ruling
within 12 hours of announcement of the decision. The written opinion must set
forth the findings of fact by the grievance cell and the conclusions of law in
support of it. Written opinions shall set a precedent for a time period of three
election cycles for grievance cell rulings, and shall guide the grievance cell in its
proceedings. Upon consideration of prior written opinions, the grievance cell may
negate the decision, but must provide written documentation of reasons for doing
so.
• If the decision of the grievance cell is appealed to the institutional head , the
grievance cell must immediately submit its ruling to the commission.
• The grievance cell shall select the remedy or sanction most appropriate to both
the type and severity of the infraction, as well as the state of mind or intent of the
violator as determined by the grievance cell. Possible remedies and sanctions
include, but are not limited to, fines, suspension of campaigning privileges, and
disqualification from the election.
• Any fine or total amount of fines against a candidate in an election cycle may
not exceed the spending limit as defined herein above.
• If, after a hearing, the grievance cell finds that provisions of this code were
violated by a candidate, or a candidate's agents or workers, the grievance cell may
restrict the candidate, or the candidates agents or workers, from engaging in some
or all campaign activities for some or all of the remainder of the campaign. If an
order is issued covering only part of the remaining campaign period, it shall take
effect immediately so that after its termination, the candidate will have an
opportunity to resume campaigning during the days immediately prior to and
including the election days.
• If, after a hearing, the grievance cell finds that provisions of either this code or
decisions, opinions, orders, or rulings of the grievance cell have been willfully
and blatantly violated by a candidate, or a candidate's agents or workers, the
grievance cell may disqualify the candidate.
• Any party adversely affected by a decision of the grievance cell may file an
appeal with the institutional head within twentyfour (24) hours after the adverse
decision is announced. The institutional head shall have discretionary appellate
jurisdiction over the grievance cell in all cases in which error on the part of the
grievance cell is charged.
• The decision of the grievance cell shall stand and shall have full effect until the
appeal is heard and decided by the institutional head.
• The institutional head shall hear appeals of grievance cell rulings as soon as
possible, but not within twentyfour (24) hours after the grievance cell delivers to
the appellant and the institutional head a copy of its written opinion in the case.
Appeal may be heard prior to this time, but only if the appellant waives the right
to a written opinion and the institutional head agrees to accept the waiver.
• The institutional head can issue suitable orders to suspend or halt the operation
of the ruling issued by the grievance cell until the appeals are decided.
• The institutional head shall review findings of the grievance cell when appealed.
The institutional head may affirm or overturn the decision of the grievance cell,
or modify the sanctions imposed.
6.9. Maintaining Law and Order on the Campus during the Election Process
6.9.1. Any instance of acute lawlessness or the commission of a criminal offence shall
be reported to the police by the university / college authorities as soon as
possible, but not later than 12 hours after the alleged commission of the offence.
6.10. Miscellaneous Recommendations
6.10.1. Student representation is essential to the overall development of students, and,
therefore, it is recommended that university statutes should expressly provide for
student representation.
6.10.2. Student representation should be regulated by statute (either a central statue, state
statute or individual university statutes), incorporating the recommendations
prescribed herein.
6.10.3. The institution should organize leadership-training programs with the help of
professional organizations so as to groom and instill in students leadership
qualities.
6.10.4. In the event of the office of any major post of office bearer falling vacant within
two months of elections, re-elections should be conducted; otherwise the Vice
President may be promoted to the post of President and Joint Secretary to the post
of Secretary, as the case may be.
As per the decision of the College Governing Council of the Management held
on 27.5.2013 the mode of Studens Union Election in Christian College, Kattakada
is as per para 6.2.4 of the Lyngdoh Commission.
The class representatives shall be directly elected and they shall elect the
Office bearers for the College Union and their representatives for University
Students Union. [ A system of Parliamentary (indirect) election].
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