Senate elections at Kerala University temporarily halted; KSU-SFI clash, ballot papers missing

Thiruvananthapuram: Tensions flared during the Senate elections at Kerala University on Wednesday evening, resulting in clashes between Kerala Students Union (KSU) and Students' Federation of India (SFI) activists.

The conflict erupted during an SFI protest, which alleged that the KSU, with the Registrar's assistance, had sabotaged the elections. The voting process was temporarily halted after 15 ballot papers were reported missing.

In the union elections, the SFI won seven seats, while the KSU secured two. The KSU's victories were in reserved seats, which the SFI claims were obtained with the Registrar's aid. The protest against this alleged interference led to the ensuing clashes.

Both parties are accusing each other of tampering with the ballot papers. This dispute escalated into verbal altercations and physical confrontations. Following the suspension of the election, SFI activists exited the hall to protest and celebrate their victories.