'Progressive' panel sweeps JNU's teacher's body elections

A panel touted as "progressive" has swept the elections to Jawaharlal Nehru University's teachers' body with its presidential candidate, Sonajharia Minz, securing the highest number of votes.
Minz from the School of Computer and Systems Science secured 344 votes, while her opponent, S Srinivasa Rao from the School of Social Sciences, won 195 votes in the JNU Teachers' Association (JNUTA) poll.

The new vice presidents of JNUTA from the same panel are Devendra Kumar Choubey, who won 324 votes, and Partho Datta, who secured 301 votes, a JNUTA statement said.
Two groups fought for various posts to the teachers' body. The statement said 546 votes out of the total 597 were cast in yesterday's poll.

Candidates from Minz's panel were also elected secretary, joint secretary (two posts) and treasurer. Many of the posts of school representatives went to members of the panel.
A large section of JNU teachers has been at loggerheads with its vice chancellor, M Jagadesh Kumar, in recent months.
 

JNUTA and the administration have battled on various issues, including over the appointment of the dean of School of Social Sciences and the removal of Professor Nivedita Menon from the chair of the Centre for Comparative Politics and Political Theory.

JNU students' union joint secretary Shubhanshu Singh said presidential candidate Minz represents the "progressive group".