Jamia student union polls in 15 days of constitution approval; suspension, show-cause notice revoked

Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) has finally agreed to conduct the student union elections within 15 days. JMI has approved the students' union constitution, after two weeks of hunger strike and campus protest. The suspension and show-cause notice which had been issued to the protesting students has been revoked. It also orders an investigation against the security staff.

However, the dispute remains unresolved, with protesting students refusing to publicly apologise for statements and social media posts directed at the university administration. Students on hunger strike have maintained that their demands have not been fully met.

The university hasn't set a specific election date. Its order links the timeline to the approval of the students' union constitution, stating that elections will take place "after 15 days, from the date of approval" of the constitution.

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Students oppose an apology clause

According to the video post of Millat Times English, a student Ebin Basil, a protester in the hunger strike, questioned the need for an apology. Ebin also highlighted how protesters faced pressure during the discussions with the JMI administration. He also added in the video shared by the MIllat Times English, “Why should we apologise? We are not criminals. We haven’t committed any crime”.

According to the university's order, students agreed to apologise publicly in a press conference and remove the relevant social media posts. According to the recent order by JMI, the protest needs to be called off immediately . However, according to reports from Millat Times English and Maktoob, some protesters continue to oppose the conditions, including the lack of a scheduled election.

The order also revokes the disciplinary notices issued during the agitation and requests an investigation into security personnel's conduct.

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Complaint against MPs

JMI also filed a complaint against the Congress Member of Parliaments (MP) with Delhi Police. JMI accused Imran Masood and Imran Pratapgarhi, among others for trespassing and also inciting unrest amid the protest according to Press Trust of India (PTI).

Hundreds of students were detained outside gate no 7, according to Students' Federation of India (SFI). The administration has also ordered previously to close the Dr Zakir Husain Library and the Old Library, and shifted classes to online until further notice, claiming students’ safety and academic continuity. 

According to ANI, the latest order is a step toward restoring student union elections after two decades. However, the election process remains dependent on the constitution's approval, and disagreements over the apology condition persist.