Voting begins for FSU leadership Elections at TU Campuses (photos)

KATHMANDU: Voting for the selection of the student union (FSU) leadership has begun on Tuesday at the affiliated and recognized campuses of Tribhuvan University.

According to Pashupati Adhikari, the Secretary of the Central Monitoring and Coordination Committee for the FSU election, voting has started at campuses in Kathmandu, as well as in Dharan, Nepalgunj, Pokhara, and Palpa.

A total of 25 student organizations linked to political parties and a group of independent students are participating in the election, he said.

At the Mahendra Multipurpose Campus in Dang and the Dhankuta Multipurpose Campus, two affiliated and recognized campuses, elections have already been held unopposed.

The voting will be held from 8 AM to 4 PM today.

The president, secretary, treasurer, and some members will be elected directly, while the vice president, assistant secretary, and some members will be elected through a proportional electoral system. According to the election guidelines, the FSU committee will be elected based on the number of students at each campus.

For campuses with up to 200 students, an 11-member committee will be elected; for campuses with 200 to 1,000 students, 15 members; for those with 1,000 to 3,000 students, 19 members; and for campuses with more than 3,000 students, a 21-member committee will be formed.

The FSU committee will have a two-year term. The mixed electoral system was first introduced in 2073, and the candidate age limit is set at 28 years.

Previously, on 5 Chait 2079, FSU elections were held at 50 affiliated and more than 300 recognized campuses, with 60% of students voting.

Campuses like Ratna Rajyalaxmi Campus, Tri-Chandra Campus, Prithvi Narayan Campus, and Thakuraram Multipurpose Campus, which could not hold elections then, are now preparing for elections this time. In 2073, elections were only held at 9 campuses within the Kathmandu Valley and 17 campuses outside the valley. Tribhuvan University has 22 affiliated campuses inside the valley and 40 outside.

Elections at the central campus of the university in Kirtipur are scheduled for 8 Chait, and at Padmakanya Multipurpose Campus for 7 Chait.

Elections at more than 15 affiliated campuses are uncertain due to ongoing campus closures. Efforts are being made to find a mutual understanding to advance the process at these campuses, said Secretary Adhikari.

If elections cannot be held by the scheduled date, the campus heads and election committees are required to organize the FSU elections within 15 days, according to the guidelines.

Campus heads serve as the guardians of the student union.

The date for the election was announced by the Tribhuvan University Executive Council on 14 Magh, and the nomination of candidates took place on 27 Falgun.