BHUBANESWAR: Campus elections began across the state on Thursday amid tight security, with voting under way to elect student representatives after an eight year hiatus.
Polling began at around 8 am at public universities, colleges and aided colleges under the Higher Education department and will continue till 2 pm.
Extensive police deployment has been made at Utkal University, Rama Devi Women's University and BJB Autonomous College in the state capital. Security has also been tightened at Ravenshaw University in Cuttack to ensure peaceful polling.
At Utkal University, voting is underway at 36 polling stations to facilitate polling for more than 3,600 students, including over 2,000 boarders.
Security has been tightened on the campus following a clash between student groups shortly before the ‘Why I Stand For’ meeting on Wednesday.
“Polling is going smoothly. Around five platoons of police have been deployed in and around the campus. The deployment could be increased during counting of votes,” said an official from the University.
Candidates and representatives of student organisations were seen stationed near the campus gates, making last minute appeals to voters.
Allegations also surfaced that some students were being brought from their homes to cast votes in favour of particular candidates, in violation of norms.
At Rama Devi Women's University, students turned out enthusiastically even as a war of words broke out between Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) representatives outside the main entrance over alleged distribution of Lord Jagannath's Mahaprasad to influence voters.
ABVP candidates objected to the distribution alleging that Mahaprasad was being offered on certain conditions to influence students' voting choices.
“There is nothing wrong with distributing Mahaprasad. Our objection is to imposing conditions and discouraging students. They are offering it in the name of God and asking students to vote for them, which may make them feel obliged,” alleged ABVP candidate Pratikshya Das Mahapatra.
BCJD state president Ipsita Sahoo, however, rejected the allegation, describing Mahaprasad as sacred and saying that her organisation is encouraging students to vote according to their conscience.
Sahoo, in turn, alleged that ABVP members had been caught distributing money to secure votes at one of the campuses earlier in the morning.
She also accused the administration and police of favouring ABVP.
In Cuttack, polling also began at Ravenshaw University and other educational institutions amid heightened security.
After polling concludes at 2 pm, counting will begin from 3 pm. Institutions are scheduled to announce the results by 5 pm.
Elections are being held across 346 colleges and 13 universities. As many as 866 candidates are contesting for the post of president, 716 for vice-president and 616 for general secretary.
