AUEC Clarifies Student Government Vacancies, Raises Concerns Over Transparency

On Saturday, 18th October, 2025, the Ashoka University Election Commission (AUEC) sent out a series of emails to the student body to “formally clarify certain matters concerning the composition of the Ashoka University Student Government (AUSG) and reaffirm its commitment to transparency and procedural integrity.” The emails addressed issues pertaining to the dismissal of AUSG members, budgetary allocations, and other concerns that pointed to lapses in communication and raised concerns over accountability and transparency within the AUSG, as well as the appointment of a new Chief Election Officer. 

The first email announced the dismissal of Taanish Arora (UG ‘27) and Naman Jaju (UG ‘27) following the revocation of their No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) by the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar’s office also requested that the seat held by Maryam Andleeb be considered vacant, though it was noted that the reason for this request has not been communicated to the AUEC. This comes after Andleeb received a message from the Registrar’s office on July 19^th of this year, suspending their AUSG membership and directing them to vacate the university premises on medical grounds. The AUEC further announced that the 3 vacated seats shall be contested in the upcoming by-elections.

Following this, the AUEC expressed “serious concern and disappointment” over what it described as a “lack of timely and transparent communication” regarding the removal of the AUSG members. The AUEC highlighted that it received no formal communication from the administration, AUSG, or the concerned students, which resulted in delays in the by-election process. As per the Election Code (Subchapter C, Sec 4.14), by-elections are supposed to take place within two weeks of the vacation of the post. “This is not an isolated incident,” the AUEC noted, adding that it was “deeply concerned with the recurring lack of formal communication.” It further clarified that AUEC is not “supposed to act on hearsay or informal communication” and believes in operating via formal channels.

The email also mentioned lapses in the functioning of the AUSG, particularly the Treasury. The AUEC alleged that, as of October 2025, “there has been no official budget released”, even though multiple ministries have already organised and executed events that should have had clear budgetary allocations. The mail also said that the AUSG Public Information Drive, the primary source of public information for the student body, currently “contains misleading and outdated financial data.” 

The Edict independently verified that while the SG Public Information folder does contain a file labelled ‘AUSG Budget 2025-26’ (uploaded on 31st May, 2025), financial information displayed still reflects last year’s figures (2024–25), despite the ongoing 2025–26 term.

The AUEC further highlighted that the SG Expense Tracker is missing from the 2025-26 documentation, limiting the transparency and accountability in the functioning of the AUSG. The AUEC clarified that the statement was not intended to criticise, but to remind elected representatives of their duties to the student body.

In a second email, the AUEC informed the student body of a change in the Chief Election Officer (CEO) of the AUEC. Muhammad Razin M N (UG ‘27) resigned from his post and, following re-election, Samyak Mishra (UG ‘27) will now be taking over as the new CEO, having been elected with a 3-1 majority. This was followed by an email to the same effect from the Registrar. 

In a statement to The Edict, Muhammed Razin M N (UG ‘27), former Chief Election Officer (CEO), said he was not in a position to comment on the reasons behind the revocation of NOCs of the AUSG members. He noted that the Registrar’s office had not provided this information until the AUEC initiated a formal request for clarification, which led to “avoidable delays” in the by-election process. 

Razin added that such repeated lapses “set a poor precedent and undermine the procedural integrity of the electoral framework,” reiterating that responsibility is shared among the administration, the AUSG, and the concerned students. Explaining his decision to resign, Razin said that he faced a “conflict of interest” with his role as Resident Assistant (RA). As RAs are “contractually bound para-professionals” and considered part of the Office of Student Affairs, they are required to refrain from contesting in student elections in any capacity, though they are permitted to vote. 

In a subsequent email to the student body, Razin formally confirmed Mishra’s appointment and expressed his confidence in Mishra to lead the AUEC with integrity and diligence and uphold the transparency and fairness that define the electoral framework. 

At the time of publication, the AUSG has not released a formal statement addressing any of the above. 

(Edited by Anamta Husain)