With only two days to go for the students' elections, the state government has taken steps to enhance security at colleges across the state.

This year, elections have been cancelled at 35 colleges and five universities. Elections are scheduled in 543 colleges and six universities.

With a number of cases of violence surfacing at various educational institutions since the last few days, police have been deployed at a number of colleges and varsities.

Rama Devi Women’s University vice-chancellor Padmaja Mishra said adequate security measures have been taken to ensure that the “What I Stand For” meeting and elections are conducted peacefully. “Our personnel will be deployed round the clock on the politically-sensitive campuses in the city. Our first and foremost priority will be to restrict the entry of outsiders on the campuses that often leads to untoward incidents,” said deputy police commissioner Anup Kumar Sahoo.

“Most colleges and universities have already roped in private security guards to man their entry and exit points. They should check the identity cards of students before they are allowed to enter the campus,” he said.

Students’ elections will not be held in Utkal University this year as well. The move came at after students supported by two political outfits — Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) —allegedly clashed during a protest by students of department of pharmaceutical sciences on September 25.

Last year, the authorities had also scrapped the students’ union polls and had closed the university indefinitely. Elections will also not be held at Ravenshaw University and Sambalpur University this year.

Students at various institutions have strongly opposed the move to cancel elections.

In another development, campaigning is on in full swing at the college and varsities. Despite a Rs 5,000 cap on poll-related expenditure according to Lyngdoh Commission guidelines, the candidates continue to bypass those rules.