67.8 per cent votes polled in JNUSU election

The voter turnout in the keenly contested Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) election on Friday was 67.8 per cent, believed to be the highest in six years.

Over 5,000 students cast their votes. The counting has begun and the results are expected to be announced on Sunday.

"From 2012, the elections are being conducted as per the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations. In the last six years, I have not seen this high voting percentage," an official said.

Last year and in 2016, the voting percentage was 59 per cent. In 2015, the voting percentage was 55 per cent. In 2013 and 2014, the percentage hovered around 55 per cent while in 2012, the voter turnout had reached 60 per cent.

Slogans and dhapli beats filled the air on the JNU campus as candidates and their supporters made last-ditch efforts to to sway voters in their favour outside the polling centres.

The voters wanted the candidates to raise issues concerning the campus instead of national issues.

"The candidates in the presidential debate talked about national issues like lynching and other things but had little to talk about the issues facing the varsity," said a student, not willing to be named.

Another student, Manisha, said, "The JNU culture is ending. Our dhabas are closed by 11 pm. Earlier, they used to stay open till 3 am. Those were the places for debates and discussion. We want the representatives to raise this issue."