TU asked to announce fresh poll date by mid-June

KATHMANDU, May 31: A day after the Tribhuvan University (TU) postponed Free Student Union (FSU) poll indefinitely, the student unions have demanded that the university announce a fresh poll date by mid-June.



Speaking at a program Friday, president of the UCPN (Maoist)-affiliated All Nepal National Independent Student Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) Himal Sharma held the CPN-Maoist-affiliated ANNISU-R responsible for disrupting the election environment. He asked the TU to unlock all the colleges padlocked by various student groups and announce a new date within 15 days. [break]



The CPN-UML affiliated ANNFSU President Madhav Dhungel claimed that the dispute between the unions affiliated to UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-Maoist led to the failure to hold election on time. He also urged the TU office bearers to investigate conflicting issues and find solutions so that another date for election could be announced.



“The TU failed to play constructive role. It should have taken action against the unions that have flouted the norms,” said Dhungel.

Nepal Student Union (NSU) Coordinator Ranjeet Karna said that all 13 student unions need to be consulted before declaring the new date. He also threatened to announce phase wise protest if the TU does not take initiatives to hold polls. Earlier, the TU had announced FSU election date following the protests and hunger strike at the TU premises by the NSU cadres.



Meanwhile, the TU Rector Guna Nidhi Neupane said that the student unions themselves are responsible for the current uncertainty surrounding holding of election as they violated the election code of conduct.



Despite several attempts of the TU officials, the students were polarized on how to resolve the admission issues, he said. The student cadres have been staging protest against the TU in colleges across the country following the postponement.



Earlier, the CPN-Maoist´s revolutionary group has padlocked the TU Central Campus and office of the electoral committee in Kirtipur, whereas the UCPN (Maoist)´s ANNISU-R president Sharma had said that his union would not discuss on any issue unless the campus and office are unlocked.

The TU postponed the slated for June 6 after the four student unions refused to attend the meeting to resolve the disputed issue of mass admission at government colleges.



Meant to be held every two years, the FSU poll was announced this year after five years. The TU senate last month had amended the TU regulation to hold the poll under mixed electoral system.

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