JNU to go to polls on Nov 4; campaign season set to begin next week

New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) will hold its students' union elections on Nov 4, according to a tentative schedule released by the election committee for the 2025–26 academic session. Counting of votes will take place the same evening and the results will be declared on Nov 6.

The election process will formally begin this weekend with the display of the tentative voters' list on Oct 24 and the issue of nomination forms, the following day. Filing of nominations will take place on Oct 27, followed by scrutiny and withdrawal on Oct 28, when the final list of candidates will also be released. Campaigning is expected to pick up pace after Oct 28, with student groups preparing for intense outreach efforts, late-night discussions in hostels, and meetings across campus.

School-level general body meetings will be held from Oct 29 to 31, leading up to the university general body meeting on Nov 1 — the largest gathering before the polls.

The presidential debate, often likened to a US-style format, will take place on Nov 2, where candidates for the top post will make their pitches and face questions from students on campus, national and global issues. The university on Wednesday night announced a 46-member election committee, chaired by PhD scholar Ravi Kant, to oversee the polls. JNU elections are entirely student-run and conducted in line with the Lyngdoh Committee guidelines, with the committee tasked with ensuring adherence to the code of conduct and maintaining a free and fair election process.