KATHMANDU, March 3: A dispute has erupted between student organizations over the issue of the Free Student Union (FSU) elections at Bhairahawa Multiple Campus in Rupandehi. The vandalism and protests took place on Monday while the election process was being discussed.
Student organizations are registering their names on campuses across the country for the upcoming FSU elections to be held on March 18. However, at Bhairahawa Multiple Campus, five student organizations - Socialist Students Union (SSU), Socialist Student Union Nepal, Janamat Student Union, National Democratic Student Union and Independent Madhesh Student Union padlocked the Election Commission office on Sunday evening, expressing dissatisfaction with the election process.
They had been demanding that first-year admissions be opened and the second and third-year admissions period be extended. However, the agitating students said that the administration had not listened to their demands.
On Monday morning, while the campus administration and the Election Commissioner were discussing the upcoming election, the situation became tense as the CPN-UML affiliated student wing All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) entered the university to register their organization for the upcoming election.
After the ANNFSU students entered the meeting room, members of five other student organizations became enraged and started vandalizing the premises.
The students broke tables and chairs in the meeting room, and also held a demonstration by burning tires in the campus area. However, the campus administration has not given any response regarding this matter.
According to the schedule set for the local elections, the voter list will be published on March 5, complaints against candidates can be filed until March 9, nominations will be registered on March 11, and the election will be held on March 18.
However, due to disputes between student organizations, there is a possibility that the election process itself will be affected at Bhairahawa Multiple Campus.