MDU-Rohtak non-teaching staff body election: Two tie for prez post

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, November 23

An interesting contest was witnessed for the post of president during the elections of the Non-Teaching Employees Association of Maharshi Dayanand University (MDU) held here today when two candidates — Kulwant Malik and Sumer Ahlawat — were locked in a tie securing 277 votes each.

The development left the university authorities in a piquant situation, hence, no candidate could be declared the winner today. Returning Officer (RO) Prof Rahul Rishi said the association’s constitution was silent in the case where two candidates secured the same number of votes in the elections.

The authorities have now called a meeting of both parties tomorrow to find out an amicable formula to declare the winning candidate. It is for the first time when two candidates have tied for the post. Both — Malik and Ahlawat— have served as the president of the association, earlier.

Five candidates were in the fray for the post of president. Besides the duo, Phool Kumar Bohat, who was the candidate from the panel of outgoing president Randhir Singh Kataria, remained at the third position with 187 votes while the only woman candidate — Raj Bala Sangwan — managed to get 63 votes and Rajender Yadav polled only 14 votes.

Earlier, 823 out of 881 non-teaching employees exercised their franchise to elect the five office-bearers of the association. A total of 22 candidates from five panels were in the fray.

Vikas Gill emerged victorious on the post of vice-president. He defeated Yogesh Balana by 54 votes. Suresh Sharma was elected as the general secretary by defeating his nearest rival Rajesh Girdhar by 46 votes. In a close contest, Ajmer Singh defeated Pradeep by seven votes for the post of treasurer while Sunil Saini won the post of joint secretary by 48 votes.

The RO said the votes were recounted in the presence of both candidates. “Since the result was the same in the recounting as well, hence it was decided that a meeting of both parties be held tomorrow to embark on a formula to declare the winner,” he added.

Prof Gulshan Taneja, Registrar, MDU, said since such a situation had arisen for the first time, hence some options would be placed before both candidates to decide the winner. The candidate can also present their suggestions at the meeting. “The final call will be taken following mutual consent of both candidates,” he added.