While students' union are demanding for the restoration of direct elections to Students' Central Association (SCA), Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today ruled out reversion to old pattern and said that indirect elections in Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) and 110-odd affiliated colleges would be held on the basis of merit.
The direct elections were not held last year due to violence which normally erupted in colleges and university. This year too indirect elections would be held for SCAs, Singh said while talking to reporters.
The Vice-chancellor had recently convened a meeting of principals of government and private colleges, following which a consensus was reached against holding direct elections, but there was no word from the university on this issue.
The student bodies -- ABVP and SFI -- had joined hands last years and launched an agitation for the revival of direct elections, but the university authorities remained adamant.
SFI, ABVP and NSUI are demanding direct elections to SCAs of Himachal Pradesh University and 110-odd affiliated colleges.
