AUEC announces timeline, begins process for Monsoon 2026 elections

On Wednesday, September 2nd, the Ashoka University Election Commission (AUEC) announced the timeline for the Monsoon elections and officially commenced the election cycle. Nominations opened the same day, at noon, and will close at noon on Wednesday, September 9th. The AUEC aims to release the final list of candidates by 12:00 pm on September 10th. 

Following the release of the candidates list, the campaign period will commence and carry on till noon on September 20th. The silence period will last for twenty-four hours, and the voting will commence at noon on September 21st. Voting is scheduled to conclude at noon on September 23rd, and the AUEC aims to declare results on September 24th. 

Besides the positions of President and General Secretary, nominations are open for the entire fourth-year Undergraduate council, and for one position on the third year council. Nominations are also open for the new first years council (representing the UG '30 batch), and for one representative each of the YIF (Young India Fellowship) and Late Graduate cohorts. 

Kriti Chhibber (UG '28), who contested for the post of General Secretary in the previous election cycle, has confirmed that she will be Horizon’s candidate for the Presidential Election this Monsoon. Speaking about the collective’s strategy in this electoral cycle, Chhibber reiterated their commitment to encouraging political engagement. “Our main priority has been more of getting people to engage with student politics,” said Chhibber. “That has been our mandate from the start as we have been saying from Day 1, whether it be to 1st years or graduating students.” Chhibber was also emphatic in saying that the collective hoped to see the quorum met this time. “We've already seen over the break what the administration has planned for the student body, and needless to say, no one is happy about any of the latest developments,” she said, citing the new FC policy, challenges with the course registration process, and what she termed the “ongoing housing crisis”. While Chhibber complimented  the ISCAB’s work over the summer, saying that it is doing a “wonderful job”, she pointed out that “nothing can match a full- fledged SG with all the manpower and resources to create informed policy and advocate for students.”

Partho Roy (UG’ 28) has confirmed that he will be running as the USF (United Student Front) for President, and that the collective will be contesting other posts as well. Speaking about the collective’s goals moving forward, Roy said: “We have been a body on this campus that has been in active struggle against the crises faced daily by students— related to housing, administrative dysfunction, community organizing etc. We want to continue this work forward in this upcoming cycle and work towards building a conscious political culture on campus.” Like Horizon, Roy said that USF also hoped to see increased voter turnout in the Monsoon elections. He added that a complete and functional AUSG was imperative to addressing “structural issues” such as those of “worker’s rights and welfare, GAH and the recent  surge in mess prices.” 

Stay tuned to The Edict for continued coverage on the Monsoon 2026 elections, and don’t forget to vote!