Gauhati High Court stays order on Gauhati University Students’ Union Election dispute

The Gauhati High Court on Wednesday, October 14 stayed the operation of its October 3 direction concerning the candidature for the post of general secretary in the Gauhati University Postgraduate Students’ Union (PGSU) election for 2026-27, directing that the result for the post must not be declared or implemented until the next hearing.

The court also ruled that no candidate can assume office as general secretary during this period. The order follows a petition filed by Nayan Akash Bora, whose candidature for the post has been at the centre of a prolonged dispute at the university.

The interim order directly affects Madhurjya Plabon Talukdar, an ABVP-backed candidate who had been declared elected unopposed to the general secretary’s post after Bora’s nomination was rejected.

The court clarified that the stay applies only to the general secretary’s post and will not affect the functioning of office-bearers elected to other positions in the students’ union.

The dispute originated during the scrutiny of nominations for the PGSU election. On September 24, the election tribunal constituted by the university recommended that Bora’s nominations for the posts of president and general secretary should not be considered.

The tribunal cited Bora’s simultaneous enrolment in the departments of Folklore Studies and Women’s Studies, stating that it violated the university’s admission ordinance and University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines governing simultaneous enrolment in two academic programmes.

Following the rejection of Bora’s nomination, Talukdar was declared elected unopposed to the general secretary’s post.

Bora, who was backed by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), and his supporters subsequently staged protests on the university campus. Bora also began a hunger strike, demanding that the university disclose the grounds for rejecting his nomination.

The university defended its handling of the matter, stating that Bora had submitted appeals on September 25 and 26. An appeal hearing committee was constituted on September 26 following legal consultation.

The university also raised concerns about Bora’s simultaneous enrolment in two postgraduate programmes under the fee-waiver category.

The controversy escalated after the university suspended the general secretary’s post. Students subsequently staged protests demanding justice for Talukdar, although the immediate reason for the suspension was not clear.

The suspension of the posts of general secretary and social service secretary later became linked to an attempt by a section of students to obstruct the vote-counting process, prompting the authorities to call the police.

With the High Court’s latest order, the outcome of the contest for the general secretary’s post remains on hold until the next hearing. The university’s other elected student representatives, however, can continue to function, as the court’s direction does not extend to the remaining posts.