Over 20,000 to vote for PUSU polls on Feb 28

Patna: Nearly 20,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students, besides research scholars of Patna University (PU), will cast their votes for electing the leaders of Patna University Students Union (PUSU) on February 28, said PU sources. Last elections to the union were held on March 29 last year.PU physics department head Shankar Kumar, who has been appointed the chief election officer by vice-chancellor Namita Singh, said that according to a tentative plan, the electoral roll will be published on February 10. The sale of nomination papers for five key offices of the union, including president, vice-president, general secretary, joint secretary and treasurer, will be held for four days commencing on February 11. The cost of each nomination form will be Rs 50 and it will be given along with a copy of the rules and regulations. Filled-in nomination papers will be submitted from February 16 to 18.The scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on February 19. Withdrawal of candidature will be held on February 21, followed by the publication of the final list of candidates.Casting of votes will be held at the designated polling booths from 8am to 2pm on February 28 and the counting of votes will start at 4pm the same day. The results will be announced late at night.“PU development officer Khagendra Kumar has been appointed election advisor and botany department head Birendra Prasad and commerce department teacher Nagendra Kumar Jha will act as observers,” Kumar said.He further pointed out that there would be direct elections for all five key posts of the union. Besides, class representatives in colleges and PG departments would be elected by the electorate of the respective constituencies. There would be one representative for 1,000 students in different constituencies.“All the representatives, along with the five office bearers, will form the union cabinet. The contesting candidates will have to observe the model code of conduct prescribed in the statutes based on the Lyngdoh Committee report,” he said.