Yuva Sena of Shiv Sena UBT Achieves Victory in Mumbai University Senate Elections

The Yuva Sena, led by Aaditya Thackeray and part of the Shiv Sena UBT, secured eight out of ten seats in the University of Mumbai's senate election. An official mentioned that they were likely to win the remaining two seats as well. The results for these two seats were pending due to ongoing counting.

The election, delayed for some time, took place on 24 September following a directive from the Bombay High Court. The court had previously halted a state government circular that postponed the elections. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, linked to the RSS, also fielded ten candidates, while the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's student wing contested one seat.

University Senate Elections

The senate serves as the highest decision-making body at Mumbai University. It includes representatives from teachers, principals, and college managements, along with registered graduates. This body holds the authority to approve the university's budget. Unlike student union elections at Delhi University or Jawaharlal Nehru University, candidates in these elections are not required to be current students.

In Maharashtra, there is a ban on student council polls. The turnout for this election was nearly 55 per cent. This indicates a significant level of engagement among those eligible to vote in these elections.

The Bombay High Court's intervention ensured that the elections proceeded as planned on 24 September. This decision came after a stay was placed on a government circular that aimed to delay the process further.