JNUSU office bearers may lose posts over poll bills

All four JNU Students’ Union (JNUSU) office bearers run the risk of their candidature being nullified, as the administration has said that their bills for expenditure incurred during the elections are not in proper format as they do not bear GST numbers.

Calling it “intimidation” and a “dangerous precedent”, JNUSU president N Sai Balaji said the bills have been submitted in the same format for the last two years, and the administration had never objected. In a letter dated October 12, Dean of Students Umesh Kadam said, “It is informed that the bills submitted are not in accordance with Clause 6.6.2 of the Lyngdoh Committee Recommendations (LCR) —‘each candidate shall, within two weeks of the declaration of the result, submit complete and audited accounts to the college/ university authorities’…”

“It is further informed that each candidate is required to submit original bills bearing GST number and to be self-attested by each candidate, failing which Clause 6.6.3 will be applied — ‘election of candidate will be nullified in the event of any non-compliance or… any excessive expenditure’,” he added.

The JNUSU had submitted their bills with a cover letter containing signatures of 19 candidates. It said, “Since all of us ran a combined campaign, the expenses were collectively incurred. The total expenses incurred were Rs 92,634…” The candidates said that till date, “the administration… has not specifically given guidelines on the process for submitting election expenditure”. Kadam did not respond to calls and texts.
News Source (Indian Express)