SFI-AISF

25.01.12

A Partial Victory in the Struggle to Restore JNUSU Elections in this Semester!! JNU Administration forced to give Concrete Assurances!! Unite to Carry Forward the Struggle to Hold Elections!!

SFI-AISF congratulates the student community of JNU for waging a resolute and united struggle to restore the JNUSU elections as per the 9 th January UGBM mandate and uphold the autonomy of the Election Committee. The overwhelming support extended by the students to the indefinite hunger strike and the university strike has asserted that the student community cannot wait any longer for the conduct of elections. The collective struggle of the student community has forced the administration to address our demands in concrete terms. The resolve of the student community is also a fitting rebuff to the organisations on this campus like DSU, YFE and various other right-wing organizations who have played the role of saboteurs and backstabbers in this struggle. Today, in a meeting between student representatives and the administration, the administration has given certain concrete assurances:

The administration has given concrete assurance that the date of elections will be notified immediately after consultations with its legal counsel in order to hold elections in this semester. The administration expects that the opinion of the legal counsel will be available in next two-three days. Initially, the administration had made the notification of elections contingent on clarification from the Supreme Court and was of the opinion that a petition be filed on this matter. In such a situation, the notification of the JNUSU Elections would have been further delayed, because of the uncertainty regarding the disposal of this petition in the Supreme Court. The united struggle of the student community has forced the administration to change its position. SFI-AISF demands that respecting the UGBM mandate, the election process must be completed by 9th February 2012. On the demand for upholding the autonomy of Election Committee, the administration has agreed that the autonomy of the EC will be upheld. On this, the initial position of the administration was to implement DU model and control the election process; the collective pressure of the students forced the administration to change its initial position. The Committee comprising of DOS, Prof.B.S.Chimni and Prof.K.J.Mukherjee is examining all aspects of the issues involved in the implementation process and to prepare a model code of conduct as per the SC verdict for both students and election administrators. The report of this Committee can be shared with anybody interested in it and the Election Committee would be involved in the preparation of the model code of conduct. On the demand of the constitution and composition of the Grievance Redressal Committee (GRC), the administration has assured that the GRC will be formed along with the notification of elections. Regarding the student representation in the GRC, the administration has assured that the accountability of the students representatives will be maintained.

In the light of these developments, the Joint Struggle Committee has decided to call off the Indefinite Hunger Strike. While this is definitely a partial victory for the students, it is all the more important that extreme vigilance and consistent pressure be maintained to ensure that the administration doesnt back-tracks from its commitments. SFI-AISF appeals to the student community to remain united and vigilant to ensure that the administration delivers on these concrete commitments. We call upon the student community to isolate the Anti-election forces on this campus and remain steadfast in the resolve to ensure JNUSU elections, within a month and also equally that the JNUSU is restored along with the autonomy of EC.

Students United Shall Always Be Victorious!!

Zico Dasgupta, Vice-President, SFI-JNU Durgesh, Secretary, AISF-JNU