High Court questions delay in student union elections in MP:Fees collected from students; seeks government reply within two weeks; no polls since 2017

Despite assurances from Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar, student union elections have not been held in Madhya Pradesh for the past several years. Taking note of this prolonged delay, the Madhya Pradesh High Court has sought a response from the state government within two weeks on a public interest litigation (PIL) alleging violation of students’ constitutional rights. The division bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf heard the petition and directed the government to clarify its stance before the next hearing, which is scheduled for December 1. No student union elections held in MP since 2017 Student union elections in Madhya Pradesh’s colleges and universities have been stalled since 2017.
Recently, during his visit to Jabalpur, Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar had assured that the polls would be conducted soon. However, no official action has been initiated so far. This prompted Adnan Ansari, a resident of Gohalpur, Jabalpur, to file a PIL in the High Court, seeking directions to the government and universities to conduct elections in accordance with the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations. Ansari argued that the absence of elections violates the fundamental rights of students guaranteed under the Constitution, as it deprives them of the opportunity to participate in democratic processes within educational institutions. Major universities made parties in the case In his petition, Ansari has named both the Government of Madhya Pradesh and several leading universities across the state as respondents. These include: The petitioner pointed out that no student elections have been held at these universities despite the collection of student union fees from enrolled students each year. Advocate argues: Universities charging fees but avoiding elections During the hearing on Wednesday, advocate Akshardeep, appearing for the petitioner, told the bench that while universities continue to collect student union fees, they have failed to conduct elections for several consecutive terms. He termed this practice illegal and arbitrary, arguing that it not only breaches the Lyngdoh Committee’s guidelines but also undermines student representation and participation in university affairs. Court grants government two weeks to respond On behalf of the state government, its counsel sought additional time to file a detailed response. The court accepted the request but made it clear that the government must present a clear stance in the next hearing. The bench stressed accountability, noting that the issue involves students’ democratic rights and financial transparency. Background: Lyngdoh Committee’s role The Lyngdoh Committee recommendations, framed under the direction of the Supreme Court in 2006, set out the framework for conducting free and fair student elections across Indian universities. These guidelines aim to ensure transparency, cap campaign expenditure, and restrict political interference in student politics. Failure to conduct such elections, despite collecting student union fees, is seen as a violation of these norms. What happens next The state government now has two weeks to file its reply explaining why elections have not been conducted since 2017 despite prior commitments. The High Court’s next hearing is scheduled for December 1, when the government’s written response and action plan will be reviewed. If the court finds the government’s explanation unsatisfactory, it may issue further directions to ensure that the long-pending student union elections in Madhya Pradesh are held at the earliest.