UoH students on fast over union vice president's election

The University of Hyderabad (UoH) has decided to request a retired High Court judge to advise the varsity on the election of the students' union vice president after a group of students launched a relay hunger strike on the matter yesterday.
The UoH administration has advised the students, who began fast under the aegis of the Tribal Students Federation (TSF) on the UoH campus, to withdraw the protest and has warned of initiating a disciplinary action.
"The Students' Union elections 2017-18 was held on September 21. However, election to the post of vice-president has been kept on hold on allegations that Naresh Lunavath, the contestant, had less than 75 per cent attendance as required by norms," a UoH release said today.

However, protesting students have alleged that Lunavath, a nominee of the Alliance of Social Justice, of which TSF is an ally, had won against his ABVP (Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad) opponent, but a complaint was given alleging that he lacked requisite attendance.
A section of students has been holding protests for the last few days demanding that Lunavath be declared elected as the vice president.
The varsity said they have taken the decision to rope in a retired HC judge to "examine and advise" the UOH on the matter in the wake of students' move to resort to the fast.

"The retired judge will be handed over all records/ documents pertaining to the elections. A committee has been constituted recently to examine the attendance records of the School of Medical Sciences to which Lunavath belongs," the release said.

TSF president Sundar Rathod alleged the UoH move is just a delaying tactic.
"They (UoH authorities) want to just prolong the issue. The relay hunger strike is continuing for the second day today and we will start an indefinite hunger strike if our demand is not met," Sundar said.
However, UOH contended that students remained "defiant" despite its efforts to convince them.

"Since students remained defiant and the matter is litigious, the university has now decided to approach a retired judge for his opinion," it said.
The varsity further appealed to the students to withdraw the protest and wait for the report from the judge, in view of the impending end-semester examinations.
UoH, also known as the Hyderabad Central University, was rocked by the protests in January 2016 following the suicide on campus by Dalit PH.D scholar Rohith vemula.