High drama erupted outside Kendrapada Autonomous College as student activists belonging to the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) staged a sit-in protest, alleging vote tampering during the student union election counting.
Demonstrators sat on tarps right outside the campus gate, engaging in a dharna and demanding a complete recount of the ballots.
The controversy follows Odisha’s statewide student union elections held on Oct 15, 2026, marking the return of campus democracy after an eight-year hiatus.
While ABVP secured victories in several colleges across Kendrapada district and the state amid low voter turnout and minor irregularities, members expressed strong dissatisfaction with the counting process at Kendrapada Autonomous College.
Campus authorities and police were present to monitor the situation, but student leaders maintained that the protest would persist until the college administration officially agrees to recount the votes.
