Reviving shut pipeline: Karnataka Congress begins process to restore student union polls after three decades
After a 36-year hiatus, the Karnataka Congress has initiated steps to revive student union elections, aiming to rebuild campus leadership and reintroduce organised student politics. A nine-member committee has been formed to examine the modalities, risks, and formats of restoring polls that were banned in 1989 following campus violence.
Reviving shut pipeline: Karnataka Congress begins process to restore student union polls after three decades
New Delhi: With the end of 2025 around the corner, Karnataka has decided to revive student union elections after a gap of 36 years. In 1989, it was the same party that had banned student union elections when campuses were frequently grappling with violence and political chaos.
The directive came directly from Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, who urged the party to take this significant step to promote youth power and participation in Karnataka. To translate this vision into action, Deputy Chief Minister and state KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar has constituted a nine-member party committee to study the modalities of restoring the polls—a move that could revive organised campus politics across the state.
Who all are forming the committee?
On December 27, Shivakumar announced the formation of the committee and directed it to submit its recommendations. Medical Education Minister Sharan Prakash Patil has been named the convenor, and the panel has been given 15 days to submit its report.
The committee comprises Higher Education Minister Dr M.C. Sudhakar, MLCs Saleem Ahmed, Basanagouda Badarli and Puttanna, MLAs Rizwan Arshad and B. Shivanna, Karnataka Youth Congress president H.S. Manjunath, and state NSUI president Keerthi Ganesh, among others.
For the Congress party, the revival not only reflects reform but also signals the rebuilding of a political pipeline that has remained shut for over three decades.
Why were the student union elections banned in 1989?
Student union elections in Karnataka were banned in 1989 under then Chief Minister Veerendra Patil. The decision followed a series of violent incidents and clashes on college campuses, with the government growing wary of the increasing involvement of political parties in student life.
At the time, campuses had become volatile, with student groups aligned to political outfits often at the centre of confrontations, disrupting academic activity. The ban was intended to curb violence and restore order in educational institutions.
However, what was meant as a corrective measure turned into a prolonged suspension that lasted for more than three decades—a legacy the Congress is now being compelled to revisit. "There is a need to create second- and third-tier leadership and use the experience of seasoned leaders to hone new talent, which will also help lead the party,” said a senior Congress leader involved in the revival process.
While addressing the Congress Foundation Day programme at Bharat Jodo Bhavan, Shivakumar announced the initiative. "We have to develop new leaders at the college level. So, I have formed a nine-member committee headed by Sharan Prakash Patil,” he said.
Shivakumar, along with senior leaders B.K. Hariprasad, Ramalinga Reddy and H.M. Revanna, emerged from student politics—a generation that rose through campus mobilisation before moving into mainstream politics.
'Youth representation plays a prominent role in democracy'
Reiterating that student politics shaped his life and growth, Shivakumar described it as an effective medium for democratic development. He has often highlighted that campus elections promote representation and discipline while nurturing future leadership, frequently recalling his own days as a student leader and crediting campus politics for shaping his political journey.
The deputy chief minister had first raised the proposal in November during a Constitution Day event, stating that student elections were essential to rebuilding political leadership on campuses that have remained depoliticised since the ban.
The committee has been tasked with examining whether student elections should be held under party banners, along ideological lines, or in a formally non-political format. It will also study the stages at which elections can be conducted, their advantages and risks, and the likely consequences of reopening campuses to organised politics after 36 years.