‘Authorities subverted MGU Senate election’

The Kerala Students Union (KSU) has accused the Mahatma Gandhi University authorities of changing the voting pattern for the recently held elections to its Senate. The polls had snowballed into a cont

The Kerala Students Union (KSU) has accused the Mahatma Gandhi University authorities of changing the voting pattern for the recently held elections to its Senate. The polls had snowballed into a controversy after activists of the Students Federation of India (SFI) allegedly manhandled and hurled abusive words at a woman worker of the All India Students Federation (AISF).

KSU president K.M. Abhijith told the media on Sunday that the notification issued by the university earlier had said that the elections to 15 posts would be based on preferential voting, where those who get highest number of first votes would be chosen. However, just hours before the process began, the authorities changed the pattern to single voting, he claimed. “The real issue in Mahatma Gandhi University is not the clash between SFI and AISF activists, but an attempt to subvert democratic elections. The SFI is using their majority on campuses to suppress voices of other student organisations, including the Left-aligned AISF,” Mr. Abhijith alleged. The KSU would take out a march to the State Assembly on Tuesday to register their protest, he said.