EFLU student union decries ‘autocratic’ poll decision

Students of the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad have strongly criticised the administration’s decision to conduct student union elections for 2025-26 without a student-led commission. The outgoing union argued that the move violates the Lyngdoh Committee guidelines and the university’s own constitution, which mandate student representation in the election commission.

Hyderabad: The English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) students condemned what they termed as an ‘autocratic’ decision by the administration to hold the student union elections for 2025-26 without constituting a student-led commission.

The election commission, as per the outgoing Students’ union 2024-25, should also consist of members from the student community as recommended by the Lyngdoh Committee and stipulated in the university constitution. However, the university constituted the commission without students, the union said.

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According to students, the move by the university came after the outgoing students’ union submitted a letter to the administration, seeking elections with a student-led election commission, on November 6, 2025.

The students’ union alleged that despite several months after letter submission, the administration refused to share details of the upcoming elections with union office bearers and delayed the process until even semester, which officially marks the end of an academic year.

Section 10.2 of the students’ union constitution, according to students, states that the commission conducting elections must include at least one full-time student from each school.

“The university administration’s decision to constitute an election commission without any student representation, and without even informing the outgoing students’ union is nothing but a deliberate attempt to control the democratic procedures of student union elections and impose administrative power over student rights,” the outgoing students’ union added.

Several EFLU student organisations – SFI, NSUI, Disha and Fraternity Movement – have also condemned the varsity’s decision.