Chandigarh: Lyngdoh panel guidelines dampen spirits amid student polls
Speaking about the recommendations, Divyansh Thakur, Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) Chandigarh unit in-charge, said, “Some of the recommendations are needed, especially the age limit. But candidates must be allowed to contest again. If you cannot contest the election again, there is no incentive for you to perform well during the year.”
This year’s election campaigning has been among the most underwhelming in Panjab University’s (PU) history, with the campaigning picking up on the second last day. Many attribute it to the implementation of the Lyngdoh committee guidelines, which over the years have dampened the political activities in PU and made students turn apolitical.
Speaking about the recommendations, Divyansh Thakur, Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) Chandigarh unit in-charge, said, “Some of the recommendations are needed, especially the age limit. But candidates must be allowed to contest again. If you cannot contest the election again, there is no incentive for you to perform well during the year. Serious candidates can establish their base in the first year, get re-elected, and then do much more for the students.”
Student Organisation of Panjab University (SOPU), being one of the original parties of PU, has contested elections before these recommendations were imposed in the university. SOPU president Balraj Singh Sidhu said, “The guidelines have killed student activism. There are too many restrictions, while MLA or MP elections have no such restrictions. All the student parties must get together and look into legal recourse over these recommendations and their imposition on PU. Pu should get a new set of rules which are tailored to PU’s needs.”
National vice president of the Indian National Students Organisation (INSO), Rajat Nain said the age limits are a must for the elections. “Student elections should ensure that only students are fighting these elections. This is why the age limits must be continued, without relaxation. The same goes for the minimum attendance of 75% to contest the elections.” However, Nain added that the authorities must implement these guidelines equally and fairly to all parties. “If one party is being exempted from the criteria for nominations and the authorities are being partial towards a party then the Lyngdoh guidelines aren’t being taken seriously,” he added.
Recommended by a committee, headed by former chief election commissioner JM Lyngdoh, in 2005, the guidelines were accepted by the Supreme Court in 2006. PU has been following them since 2012 without any changes. According to the guidelines, only undergraduate students between the ages of 17 and 22 may contest the elections. For postgraduate students, the maximum age limit is 24 to 25 and for research students, it is 28.
PU, however, is unlikely to change the rules as of now. Dean students welfare Amit Chauhan said the students have not submitted anything for the authorities to look into for changing the guidelines, and the same rules are in effect this year as well. The 5,000 campaign expenditure limit has also not been revised since the guidelines were implemented.
Brought back open house: CYSS Chandigarh unit in-charge
Thakur added that while the guidelines don’t allow for the use of microphones while campaigning, the concept of open house must be brought back. “Students need to hear their candidates speak so that they can make a more informed decision. It can be organised at Students Centre with proper rules and regulated by the PU authorities.”
The open house was last conducted during the 2009 elections. It was stopped in 2010 due to the violent clashes that would follow after the event and outsiders also enter the university, causing a law and order situation. While student bodies, over the past 14 years, have repeatedly sought resumption of the event, authorities never reinstated them.
The open house used to be conducted two days before the election date, where all presidential candidates from different parties would share their ideology, past work and future vision in a 10-minute speech. This is where the students would come to know who their leaders were. Students say half of the election was won through this debate.