MP High Court Seeks State's Report On Steps Taken To Conduct Student Union Elections

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has sought an action-taken report from the State authorities on the steps taken to conduct student body elections across colleges and universities, in light of its earlier order directing that the election be held in every college and university. 

The division bench of Chief Justice Alpesh Y Kogje and Justice Vinay Saraf, while issuing notice on a fresh petition challenging the prolonged non-conduct of student body elections, directed the respondents to submit a report on action taken pursuant to the order passed on August 3, 2026 in WP 34295 of 2024. 

"Issue notice to the respondents on payment of process fee within three working days, returnable within two weeks. In the meanwhile, the respondents shall submit the report regarding the action taken in pursuant to the order passed by this Court in WP No.34295/2024 dated 3.8.2026". 

A fresh petition was filed challenging the authority's failure to conduct student body elections despite the State Government having scheduled them for September 2026 in the academic calendar for 2026-27. 

The petitioners have sought directions to conduct the elections across the educational institutes and to ensure that such elections are held regularly every year according to the applicable rules and recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee. 

The petition contended that the student body elections have not been held since 2017, depriving successive batches of students of an opportunity to elect their representatives and participate in the democratic process within educational institutions. 

It was further contended that the authorities' failure to conduct elections, despite issuing notifications and prescribing an election schedule, is arbitrary and contrary to the applicable legal framework. 

In the petition, it was argued that the continued failure to conduct elections undermines democratic participation and deprived the students of meaningful representation. The petition also claimed that the absence of student elections affects students' ability to express their views, assemble peacefully, and form associations, which violates their freedom granted under Article 19(1)(a), 19(1)(b), and 19(1)(c). 

For Petitioner: Advocate Abhinav Dhanodkar

For State: Deputy Advocate Shrey Raj Saxena