‘Progressive’ panel wins all seats in JNU teachers’ association polls

NEWDELHI: A panel touted as “progressive” clinched all seven seats in the Jawaharlal Nehru University’s teachers’ body elections held on Wednesday.

The JNU Teachers Association (JNUTA) has seven posts in the central panel— a president, two vice-presidents, a secretary, two joint secretaries and a treasurer.

All seven seats went to the “progressive” panel even though the “pro-administration” panel had also fielded candidates to these posts.

“We do not call ourselves progressive or the other panel proadministration. It is a nomenclature given by the JNU Students Union and the media,” explained outgoing JNUTA president Ayesha Kidwai. She said all central panel seats and a majority of school representatives were from the panel that was touted as progressive.

Kidwai said 546 people had turned up to cast their votes on Wednesday.

Sonajharia Minz was elected president, with the highest number of votes and the highest margin. She got 344 votes, 149 more than her opponent Srinivas Rao.

The lowest margin, and hence the closest race, was for the seat of secretary. Sudhir Kumar Suthar won with a margin of 94 votes.

Devendra Kumar Choubey and Partho Datta were elected vice-presidents with 324 and 301 votes, respectively. Archana Negi and Ghazala Jamil are the new joint secretaries and Rakesh Kumar is the new treasurer.