Tensions escalated ahead of the upcoming student union elections at the Autonomous College, Phulbani, as allegations surfaced regarding the blatant violation of the Supreme Court-mandated Lyngdoh Committee recommendations.
According to reports, activists belonging to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) were allegedly found putting up unauthorised campaign banners and operating food distribution stalls directly in front of the college premises. Critics and rival student bodies argue that using free food distribution and overt campaigning outside institutional gates violates established electoral decorum and attempts to unfairly sway the impressionable student electorate.
The situation came to a head following swift intervention by Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) student leaders in Kandhamal. Raising serious objections to the blatant disregard for election guidelines, BCJD representatives confronted the situation, leading to the prompt dismantling and removal of the controversial food stalls.
The incident has ignited a wider debate surrounding the strict enforcement of democratic rules in educational institutions across the state. The Lyngdoh Committee recommendations were specifically established to curb excessive monetary expenditure, commercialisation, and unfair tactics in campus elections, ensuring a clean, transparent, and level playing field for all student organisations.
Local students and civil society members have urged the concerned college authorities and district election officials to step up vigilance. Stakeholders emphasise that student elections must remain a platform for democratic participation, ideological debate, and leadership development—rather than a battleground governed by clout and resource-heavy campaigning.
As the election date approaches, all eyes remain on the college administration to ensure that rules are enforced impartially and that the sanctity of campus democracy is fiercely protected.
