In this year’s DUCSU election, students' participation was unprecedented. It is highly commendable. However, from the administrative side, certain irregularities in management have come to our notice.
The most noticeable among these was the lack of transparency in the appointment of polling officers, who also appeared to be insufficiently trained. Furthermore, there was reported discrimination in approving polling agents for candidates, with some groups being favoured with higher allocations while others, particularly independent candidates, received fewer. Shortcomings in information dissemination and lack of coordination were also evident.
In addition, the number of individuals responsible for conducting the election was inadequate. Considering the large number of voters, the preparations appeared insufficient. The election officials were not fully prepared; yet, the students themselves exercised their voting rights in an orderly manner. The fact that no major incidents occurred is, in itself, significant.
The lack of transparency in the appointment of polling officers gave rise to political debates. Furthermore, there was a lack of uniform directives. Different polling centres provided varying interpretations of the code of conduct, which suggested an element of political intent. This could have been avoided.
A consistent decision from a central authority would have eliminated such opportunities for controversy. For example, whether candidates were allowed to enter polling centres, whether voters could carry ballot-numbered slips, or who was permitted to remain within 100 metres of polling centres, these matters were handled differently across centres, thereby raising numerous questions. Nonetheless, the overwhelming participation of students overshadowed such concerns.
Female students’ votes could have been higher. I was particularly disappointed by the incident at Rokeya Hall polling centre. Tension arose over the distribution of ballot-numbered slips within 100 metres of the centre, and there was no sufficient manpower to manage the situation. This was followed by the spread of rumours, leading to shorter queues among female voters.
From the University Teachers’ Network, we observed the election until 8:00pm. Counting is still ongoing, so no conclusions may yet be drawn. We must wait patiently. There remains a possibility of complications, but let us hope this does not occur. The fact that students cast their votes should lead to outcomes that inspire optimism.