Around a dozen student unions staged a sit-in at the TU central office, Kritipur, on Wednesday demanding Free Student Union (FSU) election on the basis of proportional representation.

Around 200 cadres of 11 major and fringe student unions picketed the oldest and largest university of the country for two hours and later relented after TU officials agreed to hold a meeting with stakeholders on Thursday to decide on the issue.

The 11 unions, including UCPN (Maoist) close All Nepal National Independent Student Union- Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) and those affiliated to Madhes-based parties, maintain that only proportional system can guarantee inclusive representation of students from all communities in the present context.

“The proportional system ensures inclusion of various student groups, which in turn will help develop the feeling of ownership in FSU,” said ANNISU-R Vice-president Jagrit Rayamajhi. “We hope that TU will soon hold the FSU election on the proportional basis.” However, six other unions, including Nepal Student Union (NSU) and All Nepal National Free Student Union (ANNFSU), are not buying into proportional poll.

While NSU and ANNFSU Sixth want continuation of first-past-the-post system, ANNFSU is pitching for two mechanisms—an FSU council based on proportional system and a directly elected FSU. The biennial FSU poll supposed to be held last year couldn’t take place as unions are sticking to their demands.

source: The Kathmandu Post, 14 March 2012