Following the state government’s announcement to hold student union elections across colleges and universities after an eight-year hiatus, excitement across campuses was met with sharp discontent at Capital Law College.
Frustrated by their omission from the official election notification list, students gathered outside the official residence of the Higher Education Minister to stage a demonstration and raise slogans.
The state government had announced that student union polls would take place on October 15, with the official notification scheduled for release on October 7. While this declaration sparked an electoral buzz across educational institutions in Odisha, Capital Law College found itself left out of the notification list. In response, both junior and senior students joined forces to express their deep dissatisfaction.
Demonstrating students pointed out that union elections had been held regularly at the college in previous years. They described their current exclusion as a deliberate attempt to stifle student leadership and curtail their democratic rights. According to protestors, they initially approached the college Principal for clarification, but after receiving no satisfactory answer, they felt compelled to take their grievance to the Higher Education Minister’s residence.
As the Minister was out of Bhubaneswar at the time of the protest, he communicated with the students over the phone. Sources confirm that the Minister has scheduled a formal meeting with student representatives for Thursday morning to address their concerns. The students are firmly demanding that their institution be reinstated on the election list so they can exercise their rights on equal footing with other colleges.
This unrest comes against the backdrop of student union elections returning to the state after last being held in 2017. While the government’s decision to resume campus polls was broadly welcomed, the selective omission of certain institutions has raised serious questions among student communities. The protesting students remain hopeful that their upcoming discussion with the Minister will resolve the issue.
