A committee formed by the ruling Congress to explore the reintroduction of student union elections in colleges in Karnataka has deferred the submission of its recommendations till January 22.
The committee, headed by Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil, met for the first time on Tuesday. It was formed in December 2025 by state Congress president and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar after he announced that the Government had plans to reintroduce student union elections.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, MLC and committee member Saleem Ahmed said extensive consultations were held with various stakeholders during the meeting. “After the second meeting of the committee on January 22, the committee will submit its report to the state Congress chief,” he said.
Ahmed said the committee was gathering opinions from the stakeholders to assess the pros and cons of college polls. “The committee is interested in recommending elections in colleges. We are doing this because it will help develop a second-rung leadership. Many leaders have emerged from student politics,” the Congress leader added.
Shivakumar, who announced the committee in the last week of December, had said that several party leaders and workers had advocated the revival of college elections and elected student bodies. The objectives of the committee include reviewing the election process, ensuring transparency, and designing an electoral system.
Although elections are held in various colleges, party-affiliated student polls were banned in Karnataka in 1989 by then chief minister Veerendra Patil after campuses witnessed violent clashes during polls.
