Jabalpura few seconds ago
Madhya Pradesh is set to hold student union elections in September, nearly nine years after the last polls were conducted in 2017.
The state government informed the Madhya Pradesh High Court that student union elections would be held during the 2026-27 academic session, with September proposed as the month for the polls.
The assurance came during a hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Jabalpur-based student Adnan Ansari, who had sought directions for conducting the long-pending student union elections.
A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal directed the state government to conduct the elections. Following the government’s assurance, the High Court disposed of the petition.
High Court: ‘Assurances and excuses will not work’
The High Court had adopted a strict stance towards the state government and the Higher Education Department during the previous hearing three weeks ago.
The court had made it clear that “assurances and excuses will not work anymore” and directed the government to provide a definite date for the elections.
The court had also asked the state government to submit the 2026-27 academic calendar, announce the election schedule and present a complete roadmap for the formation of student unions.
Elections not held since 2017
According to the petitioner’s lawyer, Akshardeep, student union elections have not been held since 2017.
The government initially cited the COVID-19 pandemic and later referred to other circumstances for not conducting the elections. As a result, student unions could not be formed in universities and colleges across the state.
The government has now informed the court that elections will be conducted in September in accordance with the academic calendar.
Petitioner seeks account of election fees
Petitioner Adnan Ansari claimed that universities have continued to collect student union election fees from students despite elections not being held since 2017.
According to him, the amount collected has now reached crores of rupees.
Ansari has demanded that the state government present a complete account of the election fees collected from students before the High Court.
