JNU election panel rejects application for opinion polls

New Delhi, Sep 5 (PTI) The election panel for JNU studentunion polls has rejected an application by a student toconduct opinion polls in the varsity. Ankit Hans, a student of economics at JNU, was trying toconduct the opinion poll, seeking a sample size of 500 bypolling at different parts of the 1,000-acre campus. "The election committee has rejected the application toconduct opinion polls during the period when model code ofconduct is in force," Ishita Mana, Chief Election Commissionerfor JNUSU polls, said in response to the application. "The publication of result of any public opinion polls orexit polls is likely to affect the unbiased exercise," sheadded. Hans, an engineer from IIT Roorkee, was one of the threeABVP office-bearers who had quit the party in February thisyear expressing disappointment over the outfit’s handling ofthe sedition row on campus. While no opinion polls have been conducted before JNUSUelections in the varsity’s history, the Lyngdoh Committeerecommendations that apply to student elections in India donot mention any regulation about opinion polls. The polling for the keenly contested elections will beheld on September 9 and the counting of votes will begin thesame night. The candidates will tonight take out a torchlight marchand highlight their agendas for the upcoming polls. Besides the routine campaigning, candidates in JNU arealso supposed to make speeches about their agenda followed bya round of questions at the "presidential debate". This time,it will be held on September 7. The night-long event, conducted in the style of USpresidential debate, is a sought after affair and also adeciding factor for the students’ union elections. PTI GJSKUN