The Supreme Court Monday directed the constitution of six-member committee headed by former chief election commissioner J M Lyngdoh for streamlining university student union elections across the country, which in recent times have been influenced by the use of money and muscle power.
Directing the Ministry of Human Resource Development to issue notification within three weeks on constitution of the committee, a Bench comprising Justice Arijit Passayat and Justice S H Kapadia said it will recommend its view for keeping criminal elements out of students election, financial transparency and eligibility criteria for standing in polls.
The committee, also consisting of Prof Zoya Hasan, Prof Pratap Bhanu Mehta, both of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Dyanand Dongaonkar, secretary general of Association of Indian Universities and two members to be nominated by HRD ministry, was asked to submit the report with suggestions within four months from the date the notification was issued.
The Bench said one of the member nominated to the committee by the Centre should be an eminent financial analyst, preferably a chartered accountant. Dongaonkar will be the convenor of the committee, it said.
Besides putting suggestions for maintaining discipline in the students election, which had been affected due to the interference of political parties, the Bench said, "The committee will also focus on modes to ensure true democratic election so that undesirable element do not enter elections affecting academic environment."
The court said the committee can issue notice to the parties and have their suggestions, and the Centre should ensure that wide publicity was given to the views aimed at conducting students elections in universities and their affiliate colleges.
The Bench passed the orders after hearing Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanian, who was asked by the court to come out with the names of eminent persons from different spheres of life for constitution the committee.
The court had earlier sought Centre's view on formulating guidelines for conducting such elections in colleges and educational institutions affiliated to various universities.
The court had felt that some control over the eligibility criteria and financial limitation was required to be put on candidates contesting student union elections and had referred to some of the ugly incidents relating to students election reported in the media.
The court was particularly perturbed with the practice of student leaders, in order to contest the election, getting themselves admitted repeatedly in a college in different courses.
The court was hearing an appeal by the University of Kerala against the judgement of the high court setting aside the direction of various universities in the state to their affiliated colleges to conduct election to the college unions.
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