Last Updated on October 27, 2026 12:54 am by INDIAN AWAAZ
Staff Reporter / New Delhi
Tensions continued at Jamia Millia Islamia on Monday as protesting students rejected the university administration’s offer to restore students’ union elections, demanding a firm timeline for the polls and withdrawal of other conditions attached to the decision.
The university has said elections to the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU) will be held within 15 days of approval of the union’s constitution. It has also revoked suspension and show-cause notices issued during the agitation and announced an inquiry into the conduct of security personnel.
However, students said the order did not specify a deadline for approving the constitution. They also objected to a clause requiring protesters to publicly apologise for alleged defamatory statements and remove related social media posts. Students have sought a written commitment on the election schedule and withdrawal of all disciplinary action, including campus bans and rustication.
Scuffles broke out between protesters and security personnel as students attempted to enter the campus. Some protesters were detained, while security was tightened. Classes have been shifted online amid the nearly two-week-long agitation.
The protest began on October 12, with students demanding the restoration of the elected union, whose elections have not been held since 2006. Several students had undertaken an indefinite hunger strike, with two continuing their fast despite the administration’s latest order.
The students have also sought a meeting with Vice-Chancellor Mazhar Asif and demanded that the union constitution be finalised by December 20, followed by an election notification within 15 days. They have questioned whether the administration would approve the proposed constitution within that timeframe.
The university had constituted a committee to draft the union’s constitution on October 21, following several rounds of talks with student representatives.
The latest order has failed to resolve the dispute, with protesters insisting that elections must be backed by a clear, binding schedule and that their remaining demands be addressed. The university’s decision marks a step towards reviving student representation, but the election date remains dependent on approval of the constitution.