Calcutta High Court Urges Prompt Action on Student Elections

The Calcutta High Court has instructed the West Bengal government to outline its strategy for holding upcoming students' body elections in colleges and universities across the state.

This directive came after a lawyer petitioned the court, urging swift action due to nearly a decade-long pause in elections for student unions. Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Smita Das De are demanding a timeline within two weeks for notification issuance.

The state's legal representative argued that the lack of permanent vice chancellors, entangled in ongoing litigation, hinders the election process. However, the petitioner refuted this by stating that permanent vice chancellors are not a prerequisite for conducting these elections. The high court recently ordered that students' union rooms in colleges lacking elected bodies be sealed following serious allegations at a South Kolkata law college.

(With inputs from agencies.)