MUSU poll takes ugly turn
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, April 20 2009: Pandemonium erupted today while scrutiny of nominations for elections of new Manipur University Students' Union (MUSU) office bearers was held at the Manipur University's Recreation Hall prompting the police to fire rounds of tear gas shells.

The Returning Officer appointed by the MUSU Election Committee RK Hemkumar (Head of Chemistry department) tendered resignation from the post of RO minutes later the Chairman of the Election Committee, Basanta, announced certain instructions relating to the election.

Lull before the storm : MU students question Election Committee of MUSU on various anomalies

Resolving not to conduct the election process without a Returning Officer, students began to leave the hall.

However, some students who remained in the hall instantaneously appointed a lecturer identified as Aheibam Koireng of the department of Centre for Manipur Studies as the new RO without circulating any notification to this effect and began to continue the proceedings.

The newly appointed RO embarked on to proceed when the presence of the students was minimal.

Just then, groups of students protested the move of some students who tried to proceed with the papers' scrutiny and charging the authority of partiality in dealing the matter.

A fracas ensued between the two camps of the students not long after students from other camp registered their protest over the 'unauthorised' appointment of RO and the attempt to continue the proceedings impelling the police to fire three rounds of tear gas shells to disperse and contain the pandemonium.

owever, the election process was carried on inside the hall taking advantage of the scuffle outside the hall.

The returning officer has declared the presidential candidate, Philem Ibosana and 22 councilors elected unopposed which triggered widespread protest from the opposing camp.

Talking to reporters this evening at the Manipur Press Club, the discontented students said that the election committee of MUSU had earlier circulated that no nomination paper without producing original class X and XII pass certificates will be accepted.

They say that this notice was issued on April 15 last.

The students said that the election committee was persuaded to accept the nomination paper without producing the original class X and XII certificates as the time given for the last date of submission (4pm of April 18) was very limited to obtain the original certificates.

The request was not considered, they said.

However, ten minutes later the last hour for submission of nomination on April 18, a circular was issued validating the provisional Class X and XII pass certificates, the students pointed out.

The students further said that the 'unofficial' proceedings of scrutiny were carried out today before solving the earliest problem.

They also charged the election committee of violating the recommendation of Lyngdoh Commission which laid down that no election will be held prior to the declaration examination results.

The students said that the examination results of Mathematics, History, and education departments are yet to be declared.

Moreover, the students said that identity cards of several students of the university have not yet been issued while asking how they are going to conduct election without issuing identity card to students.