Vote counting for Jagannath University’s Central Students’ Union (Jnucsu) and hall union elections was suspended Tuesday evening after “matching errors” were detected in two counting machines.
The counting began around 6:15pm in the university’s central control room (central auditorium) at Shaheed Sajid Bhaban but was halted shortly thereafter.
Election Commissioner Prof Shahidul Islam said at 8:50pm that officials were attempting to adjust the machines and added that the votes might have to be counted manually.
He assured that the cause of the disruption would be clarified promptly.
Earlier, polling was conducted simultaneously across 39 centres from 9am and concluded at 3:30 pm amid counter-allegations from various panels.
After voting, the counting machines were tested in the presence of students and observers before the official tally began.
Chief Election Commissioner Professor Mostafa Hasan reported that about 65 per cent of votes were cast for the central student council and roughly 77 per cent for the hall councils.
This election marks the first student union vote since Jagannath College became a university in 2005; the last such election was held in 1987. Panels backed by student groups including Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir participated in the polls.
