The process of the long overdue Tribhuvan University’s Free Student Union (FSU) elections scheduled on February 25 kicked off on Sunday. 

The election process will start as per the election calendar, according to TU Rector and FSU Election Central Monitoring and Coordination Committee’s Coordinator Professor Sudha Tripathi. 

The TU’s affiliate and offshoot campuses across the country will now release the voters’ name list. 

As per the election calendar, the voters’ list will remain open for complaints and claims until 1pm on Tuesday and a probe will be conducted on the complaints until 5pm followed by publication of the final name list. 

On February 15, nomination letters will be distributed among the candidates. The registration of the candidates under direct and proportional systems will be held from 11am to 3pm on February 16. 

On the same day at 5pm, the name list of the candidates under the direct electoral system will be published. Any complaints or claims against the candidates have to be made by the following day. 

On February 17, a probe will be conducted on the claims and complaints before publication of the final list at 5pm.

On February 19, candidates will be given a final option to withdraw their candidacy by 3pm and by 4pm the final name list will be made public.

The elections will take place on February 25, according to Dr Tripathi. 

The TU is conducting the FSU elections after eight years with provisions on 28 years age limit and mixed electoral system.

Earlier, the varsity had announced elections on two separate occasions but it could not take place due to disputes among the students. 

Sunday was the registration deadline for student organisations or unions aspiring to take part in the elections at the Campus Election Committee.