Student Union Elections Set to Resume in Madhya Pradesh After Nine Years

Madhya Pradesh is set to conduct student union elections in September after a hiatus of nearly nine years. The state government has confirmed this decision to the High Court, addressing concerns raised in a public interest petition regarding the lack of elections despite fees being collected from students. The court has mandated that necessary measures be taken to ensure a peaceful election process, emphasizing the importance of democratic representation for students in higher education institutions. This development marks a significant step towards restoring student governance in the state.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 4, 2026, 13:17 IST

Resumption of Student Union Elections in Madhya Pradesh

Jabalpur, August 4: After nearly nine years, the path for student union elections in Madhya Pradesh has been cleared. On Monday, the state government submitted the academic calendar to the High Court, confirming that elections will be held in September across all universities and colleges.

The bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Pradeep Mittal, acknowledged the information presented by the Higher Education Department and resolved the public interest petition.

The petition alleged that while students were being charged fees for student union elections, the elections themselves were not being conducted. Adnan Ansari, a student leader, filed the public interest litigation, stating that the process for forming student unions in government higher education institutions has been stalled since 2017, adversely affecting students' democratic representation. The petition also claimed that the state government was not effectively implementing the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee.

During a hearing in January of this year, the High Court directed the presentation of an academic calendar for conducting student union elections by the 2026-27 academic year. Last month, the state government requested additional time to present its plan, which it submitted to the court on Monday. During the hearing, the government outlined provisions for holding student union elections in September as part of the 2026-27 academic calendar.

The petitioner requested the court to issue guidelines for maintaining law and order during the student union elections, ensuring that government universities receive necessary police and administrative support from the state government. The bench instructed college principals and university chancellors to take necessary steps to obtain police and administrative assistance as needed, ensuring that the election process is conducted smoothly and peacefully.