(Updated with details, 0812 NST, 0227 GMT)
KATHMANDU, March 19: Free Students´ Union elections are being held in Tribhuvan University-affiliated colleges across the country on Thursday. Voting has begun at 8 a.m. and will end at 5 p.m.
Election at Padma Kanya (PK) Campus on Exhibition Road has not begun yet, our correspondent Thirlal Bhusal reported from the college premises. All Nepal National Free Students´ Union and All Nepal National Independent Students´ Union (Revolutionary), student unions of ruling CPN-UML and Unified CPN (Maoist), respectively -- are shouting slogans, demanding that the election start immediately. The college is a stronghold of Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Students´ Union.
KMC Municipal Council meeting postponed
Meanwhile, elections have been postponed in colleges including Bishwabhasa Campus, Saraswati Campus, Nepal Manabiki Campus and Nepal Law Campur in Kathmandu following violent clashes among rival student groups in the run up to the elections. "The election commission has postponed the elections in Nepal Manabiki and Law campuses late night Wednesday," said Ram Kumari Jhankri, chairperson of All Nepal National Free Students´ Union.
Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus has been shut for an indefinite period, according to the college administration.
Security personnel will be deployed in the colleges to prevent any untoward incident in the elections. There are 61 colleges and 561 affiliate colleges under the university and there are altogether 320,000 students studying in these colleges.
This is the 14th FSU elections. Fifteen various student unions affiliated with various political parties and independent candidates are contesting in the elections. However, the major contest will be among the CPN-UML-affiliated ANNFSU, Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Students Union and Maoist-affiliated All Nepal National Independent Students Union (Revolutionary).
