After 20-year hiatus, Jamia to hold student union elections; ripple effect expected

• Jamia Millia Islamia will hold student union elections within 15 days of approval of the union constitution, ending a gap of nearly two decades since 2005

• The university revoked students’ suspension orders and show-cause notices following nearly two weeks of protests, though some students continue their hunger strike and sit-in

• The decision could intensify demands for the restoration of student union elections at other universities where the electoral process has been suspended

After a gap of nearly two decades, Jamia Millia Islamia university is set to hold student union elections, in what is being seen as a significant victory for students who have been demanding the restoration of their elected representative body.

The development follows nearly two weeks of protests on campus, during which students alleged police brutality and punitive action by the university administration. Four students affiliated with the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) had also been on an indefinite hunger strike.

Jamia Millia Islamia last held student union elections in 2005. In March 2006, the university administration formally dissolved the elected student body, citing incidents of campus violence and disruptions to academic activities. Elections have not been held since then.

An order issued on Monday, 26 October directed the university to hold student union elections within 15 days of the approval of the union’s constitution. The administration also revoked the suspension orders and show-cause notices issued to students during the ongoing agitation.

Following the announcement, a section of the protesting students called off their hunger strike. However, some protesters continued their sit-in, demanding that the administration announce specific dates for the elections.

IANS reported that despite an agreement being signed overnight, some students continued their hunger strike. Protesters alleged that some participants had been persuaded to sign the agreement and maintained that their original demands remained unmet.

The development is being viewed against the backdrop of student agitations across the country over issues including examination paper leaks and alleged electoral malpractice, with political observers expecting the Jamia decision to have a ripple effect on campuses where student union elections have been suspended or discontinued.

The latest protest began nearly two weeks ago, with students demanding the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union and the right to elect their representatives. The agreement between the administration and the protesting students, however, has not entirely ended the impasse.

The continuing sit-in and demands for a definite election schedule suggest that students remain cautious about the administration’s assurances.

The agitation has also triggered a political confrontation, with the BJP and sections of the broader RSS ecosystem criticising the protesters’ demands, while the Congress has extended support to the students.

Congress MPs Imran Masood and Imran Pratapgarhi visited the campus amid the agitation. Subsequently, Delhi Police registered an FIR against the two MPs and others after the university accused them of trespassing and inciting unrest.

Rizvi alleged that Masood crossed a wall to enter the campus, while Pratapgarhi broke a lock.

The SFI’s Jamia unit, meanwhile, alleged that hundreds of police personnel detained students outside Gate No. 7 and accused the authorities of targeting those demanding the restoration of the student union.

The university had earlier shifted classes online, citing student safety, and announced that its gates and libraries would remain closed until further notice.

The SFI also alleged that university officials attempted to forcibly remove students on hunger strike, dismantled their tents and dragged women students during a confrontation.

The Jamia decision could renew demands for student representation at universities where elections have been suspended for years.

Major central universities, including Delhi University (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the University of Hyderabad, have continued to hold student union elections, albeit with occasional interruptions. Several other state and central universities, however, suspended or discontinued the electoral process during the 2010s.

Lucknow University stopped holding student union elections in 2012, while Gorakhpur University halted the process in 2016.

In Bihar, state universities have largely not held student union elections since 2018, with Patna University being an exception where elections have continued to be held regularly.

The restoration of elections at Jamia could therefore strengthen demands for the revival of elected student bodies elsewhere.

At a time when student protests are increasingly intersecting with wider political debates, Jamia’s decision may offer fresh momentum to similar demands across the country, feel political watchers.