Bhubaneswar: Today marks the commencement of student union elections across 359 higher education institutions in Odisha, including 346 colleges and 13 universities.

According to reports, polling started at 8 am, with results anticipated by this evening. Following candidate withdrawals and rejections, the final tally stands at 6,891 candidates, with 6,533 participating from colleges and 358 from universities. Women represent 45.2 percent of the candidates. Specifically, at the college level, there are 828 individuals running for president, 697 for vice-president, and 593 for general secretary positions.

Voting is taking place under strict security measures, continuing until 2 pm. Thousands of students are casting their votes to elect representatives for various roles, including President, Vice-President, and General Secretary. Comprehensive security arrangements have been established on campuses to ensure smooth voting and to prevent any disruptions. Vote counting will commence after polling concludes, with results expected by 5 pm today.

On Wednesday, the