HC steps against unruly student union candidates

TAKING A serious note of the public nuisance being caused during the students? union elections across the state, the Allahabad High Court has directed that a candidate of any election of university or college shall be ?deemed disqualified? in future if he or his supporters, directly or indirectly, indulge in wall-writing, pasting posters, fixing banners inside or outside educational institutions or act in breach of election code of conduct.

TAKING A serious note of the public nuisance being caused during the students’ union elections across the state, the Allahabad High Court has directed that a candidate of any election of university or college shall be ‘deemed disqualified’ in future if he or his supporters, directly or indirectly, indulge in wall-writing, pasting posters, fixing banners inside or outside educational institutions or act in breach of election code of conduct.

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Passing this order, a Division Bench comprising Justice AK Yog and Justice RK Rastogi further said that such a candidate shall be deemed guilty of ‘gross contempt of court’ also. Even the college/university administration concerned shall be guilty of contempt if action was not initiated in case of violation of the election code, the bench said.

The court further said a candidate violating the ‘code of conduct’ shall be liable to pay Rs 50,000 as fine, failing which name of such candidate should be removed from the roll of the university/college.

The order was passed on an application by Anand Mohan, a noted social activist of Allahabad. In his application, Mohan has said that the some preventive steps must be taken to safeguard ecology and environment during students union election.