As Rahul steps in, AMU VC says polls in Jan

With Rahul Gandhi leading an AMU students delegation to HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, the Vice Chancellor today said that elections to varsity's student union, lying defunct for four years now, could be held in January next year.

With Rahul Gandhi leading an AMU students delegation to HRD Minister Kapil Sibal, the Vice Chancellor on Monday said that elections to varsity's student union, lying defunct for four years now, could be held in January next year.

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Aligarh Muslim University VC P K Abdul Azis, who met Sibal today, said he has given a detailed note to the Minister about the prospective date for holding elections.

"In the note I have submitted, I have suggested that we will notify the elections on January 14. As per Lyngdoh committee report, ten days are required to finish the procedure. It will be done accordingly," he said talking to reporters.

Azis, who had been facing protests from students seeking revival of the students union, said he was never against holding elections.

"From day one I am telling the students that I am for student union election but within the framework of fair degree of discipline and in the academic environment," he said.

On October 30, the Congress general secretary had led a delegation of student representatives of three Uttar Pradesh-based central universities in a meeting with HRD Minister Kapil Sibal to demand holding of students' union elections which were banned due to unrest in the campuses.

Gandhi was accompanied by students from Benaras Hindu University (BHU), Allahabad University and AMU.

Azis said holding elections in January would be appropriate as the varsity is currently having examinations following which it will be closed for winter vacation till January 14.

"We are ready for elections. It is now exam time in AMU. I have requested the honourable Minister that the academic calender needs to be respected. We can notify the election to be held as soon as the varsity reopens after the winter vacation," he said.

Meanwhile, sources said Sibal has held discussions with the VCs of other universities where elections to the students union have not been held for several years now.

While there had been no union elections in the BHU since 1997, elections in the Allahabad University and the AMU were last held in 2004 and 2006 respectively.