Court gives 6 weeks time to TS govt on holding polls to student unions

Hyderabad: The PIL bench of the High Court at Hyderabad on Tuesday ordered notice to the government of Telangana to respond to a petition seeking holding of elections for student unions in all universities in the state.

The bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B Bhosale and Justice S Ravi Kumar was dealing with a public interest writ petition filed by Syed Valiullah Khapri and four others. In their petition, the petitioners said that they had represented to the government on September 15 to hold the elections, but till date there was no response from it.

Appearing for the petitioners, counsel Mohammed Abdul Qavi Abbasi pointed out to an order of the Apex Court ordering the Universities Grants Commission to take necessary steps to hold elections in a friendly atmosphere to the students’ unions in the universities and their affiliated colleges across the country. On the directions of the Apex Court, the UGC had directed all universities to conduct the elections.

He pointed out that the State government had failed to conduct elections to students’ unions in spite of directions from the Apex Court and the UGC. The bench granted six weeks time to the government to respond.