Background
A group of students from the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Women’s College have contacted Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi to request the restoration of their voting rights in the upcoming Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union (AMUSU) elections, scheduled for November 5, 2026.
The Issue
More than 4,000 students at the Women’s College were reportedly denied voting rights in the AMUSU elections. The students’ letter to the Minister highlighted concerns regarding equal student representation and electoral eligibility.
Historical Context
According to the students, undergraduate women students participated in AMUSU elections during the academic years 2010-11 and 2011-12, aligning with the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee. However, in 2012, the university reverted to a separate-union arrangement. This change was formalized in Election Regulation 2019, which currently restricts voting rights and contestation for undergraduate women students of the Women’s College, limiting their voting to the College level.
Current Regulations
The current election is being conducted under Election Regulation 2019. This regulation denies undergraduate women students of the Women’s College the right to vote or participate in the AMUSU elections, restricting their voting to the Women’s College level.
Student Demands
The students’ memorandum to the Minister included demands for equal allocation of seats for women students, aligning them with the number allocated for male students. They also raised concerns about an inadequate number of faculty, segregation in the residential campus, and restrictive rules regarding student outings.
University Response
AMU denied any disenfranchisement, stating that the students mentioned in the report were enrolled in departments on the main campus and that no woman student had been denied her vote. The university emphasized that Women’s College students vote in elections for their own Students’ Union, the Women’s College Students’ Union (WCSU).
Next Steps
The memorandum was submitted to the National Task Force, chaired by Justice (retd.) S. Ravindra Bhat, which was examining mental health issues and alleged discrimination in higher education institutions. The students are awaiting a response from the Minister of State for Education, Jayant Chowdhury, the Union Higher Education Secretary Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, and the Additional Secretary Anandrao V. Patil.
Source: The Hindu. Featured image credit: The Hindu.
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