Jamia Milia Islamia to resume student union elections after two decades, and days of protests

Jamia Millia Islamia has announced that students’ union elections will be held within 15 days of the approval of the union’s constitution, following nearly two weeks of protests demanding the restoration of elected student representation at the university.

In an order issued on Monday, the university administration said, “The Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union Election will be held after 15 days, from the date of approval of the constitution of the Students’ Union of Jamia Millia Islamia.”

The announcement comes amid an ongoing agitation by students seeking the revival of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU), which was dissolved in 2006. The last elections were held in 2005, and students have been demanding a definite timeline for restoring the elected body.


The protest began on October 12, with students launching an indefinite hunger strike and seeking an official notification on the election schedule. The agitation intensified in the following days, with students questioning the administration’s decision to first draft a new constitution without committing to a fixed timeline for holding elections.

On October 21, the university constituted a committee to draft the students’ union constitution. The panel was tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding the union’s dissolution, relevant court rulings, the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee on student union elections, and the university’s statutes and ordinances.

However, students continued to press for a clear commitment on the restoration of the union and the election schedule. The protests also saw demonstrations and a hunger strike on campus, with students seeking an elected body to represent their concerns.

The latest order links the election timeline to the approval of the constitution, but does not specify when that approval will be granted. The absence of a definite date for the next steps has remained a point of contention between the administration and the protesters.

Meanwhile, Jamia Millia Islamia agreed to hold students’ union elections, following days of protests by students demanding the restoration of the elected body, a student group has claimed.

However, the protesting students have rejected the administration’s order, calling it ambiguous and vowing to continue their agitation until their demands are addressed through clear and written commitments.

According to a statement issued by a student organisation, Jamia Registrar Prof Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi arrived on the campus at around 4:30 am on Monday to hold talks with the protesting students.

He shared an official order issued by the university administration and urged the students to call off their agitation, claiming that their demands had been met.

“The notice failed to provide a clear and unambiguous announcement regarding the restoration of the students’ union, leaving several key concerns unaddressed,” the Jammu & Kashmir Student Association organisation said in its statement on Monday.

Protesting students have raised concerns surrounding the absence of a definite timeline for the approval of the constitution and the conduct of elections. They have also pointed out that the order does not address their demand for the resignation of the Proctor.

“Assurances without concrete decisions and a clear roadmap cannot be treated as fulfilment of our demands,” the statement said, adding that the students would continue their agitation until the administration provides a clear, written commitment addressing their concerns.

The protest shall be called off immediately on issue of this order, the university order states.