Staff Correspondent
After a long wait of 33 years, voting has finally begun for the Jahangirnagar University Central Students’ Union (JAKSU) and hall council elections. On Thursday at 9 a.m., polling started simultaneously at 224 booths across 21 residential halls and will continue until 5 p.m.
Initially, voter turnout was very low. By 10:30 a.m., only 13 out of 650 registered voters had cast their ballots at Shaheed Rafiq-Jabbar Hall. Similarly, only 23 votes were recorded in the first hour at Shaheed Salam-Barkat Hall. However, as the day progressed, voter participation began to increase.
In this election, 11,897 students will cast their votes to elect 178 candidates for 25 positions. To ensure a smooth process, 67 polling officers and an equal number of assistant polling officers are supervising the election. Votes will be counted at the Senate Hall, where results will also be announced.
Eight panels—including those backed by leftist groups, Chhatra Dal, Shibir, and independents—are competing this time. While no female candidate is contesting the vice-president (VP) post, two women are running for the general secretary (GS) position. Overall, about one-fourth of the candidates are female. However, in five women’s halls, no candidates have contested this year.
Voters are casting their ballots on 40 separate sheets for both central and hall council posts. Results will be declared after vote counting through a special OMR machine.