While student organisations blame it on strikes and a release of finances by the university in parts, officials claim that the delay is only because of friction between the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the Left organisations.

As per the norms, the union elections are supposed to be held within three months of the university opening after the summer vacation. The deadline for the elections this year was October 21. The deadline has gone by and the newly-formed election committee is yet to announce the new dates.

In fact, even the committee was formed just last week after different organisations slugged it out to put in their representatives on the board. The School of Languages apparently witnessed a noisy general body meeting two weeks back. At the meeting, a panel of five names was to be decided on, which would then be forwarded as the representatives of the school to the election committee.

However, instead of one panel two had been suggested. A scuffle broke out, with the ABVP reportedly leading from the front. Following the ruckus, senior students were roped in and five consensus names were selected off the 10.

``Infighting is what has delayed the process and nothing else,'' says a university official. ``Organisations have been fighting to get their supporter into the election committee and subsequently there has been a delay in its formation. It is all political''.

But formation of the election committee is least of their problems, say member students. According to them, striking students, Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) examinations and financial constraints are together working against the regular election process.

``There was a hunger-strike by students over the hostel issue a month back, followed by an inquiry against students involved in a scuffle,'' explains C.H. Benarji, chairman of the election committee. ``Both these had a collective impact on the dates''.

Benarji adds that even though the university wants to finish with the elections by November 10, it might not be possible. ``First, the UPSC mains are scheduled. Then we will have to wait for the popular options to finish before the elections,'' Benarji says. ``Moreover, there is a shortage of stationary and the finance department has said that they will release Rs 30,000 required for conducting the elections in two installments. Organising the elections, thus, will take a while''.

JNUSU elections are the only ones that are completely organised by the students themselves. There is no teacher representative or university official who is part of this process, which JNUiites proudly describe as the ``off the students, by the students and for the students'' process.