Over 2,100 students vote in favour of VC's resignation in JNUSU referendum
New Delhi (PTI): Over 2,100 students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) voted in favour of Vice Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit resigning in a referendum conducted by the JNUSU, the results of which were released by the student union on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference, the president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) Aditi Mishra said, "A total of 2409 students cast their votes in the referendum. 2181 students (90.54 per cent) voted against the continuation of the Vice Chancellor in JNU, as in more than 90 per cent of the students who voted think that the VC should resign, following the casteist remarks she has made."
Declaring the results of the referendum, Mishra added that 207 students (8.59 per cent) voted in favour of the VC's continuation and 21 votes (0.87per cent) were invalid.
The JNU administration did not immediately respond to PTI's queries regarding the matter.
The student union has also announced that a public hearing of the vice chancellor will be held next week, where retired judges, lawyers, academicians and activists are being invited.
"The public hearing will be held on March 16-17, where we will come with a charge sheet, detailing the VC's corrupt acts," Mishra added.
The university and the students' union have been at loggerheads over multiple controversies. The campus has witnessed continued protests since early February after the university suspended four JNUSU office-bearers, along with former JNUSU president Nitish Kumar, for two semesters.
The suspensions were issued for "extensive damage to university property" during a November 21, 2025, protest at the Dr B R Ambedkar Central Library.
The incident was followed by further protests demanding the revocation of the suspension order, clashes between left- and right-wing student groups, and alleged casteist remarks by the JNU vice chancellor that drew major backlash from a section of the students' as well as teachers' bodies.
Following the same, the JNUSU conducted a referendum on Tuesday across all schools of the university, asking students "whether the vice chancellor should continue in office in light of her casteist remarks and the ongoing administrative corruption".
"The referendum clearly reflects the overwhelming sentiment of the student body. The students of JNU have delivered a decisive democratic mandate demanding accountability and the resignation of the vice chancellor. JNUSU reiterates its demand for the immediate resignation of the casteist vice chancellor.... calls upon the Ministry of Education to take cognisance of the democratic voice of the students," the student union said in a statement on Wednesday.
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Silver slides Rs 4,275 to Rs 2.75 lakh/kg
New Delhi (PTI): Silver price declined by Rs 4,275 to Rs 2.75 lakh per kilogram in the national capital on Wednesday, while gold gained Rs 900 to Rs 1.65 lakh per 10 grams amid geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
According to the All India Sarafa Association, the white metal plunged by Rs 4,275, or 1.53 per cent, to Rs 2,75,000 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes) from Tuesday's closing level of Rs 2,79,275 per kg.
However, gold moved higher, with 99.9 per cent purity increasing by Rs 900, or 0.54 per cent, to Rs 1,65,600 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes). The yellow metal had settled at Rs 1,64,700 per 10 grams in the previous market session.
Analysts said renewed safe-haven demand amid intensifying geopolitical tensions supported gold prices, even as silver came under pressure.
"Gold traded with a positive bias on Wednesday supported by renewed safe-haven demand amid escalating tensions in the Iran conflict and heightened geopolitical uncertainty," Saumil Gandhi, Senior Analyst of Commodities at HDFC Securities, said.
He added that the ongoing escalation will continue to act as a tailwind for traditional safe-haven assets like gold.
However, bullion was trading lower in the overseas trade. Spot gold was marginally down at USD 5,189.05 per ounce, and silver slipped USD 1.59, or 1.8 per cent, to USD 86.69 per ounce.
"Gold prices remained under pressure on Wednesday, easing despite elevated geopolitical tensions, as broader macroeconomic factors continued to outweigh safe-haven demand," Kaveri More, Commodity Analyst at Choice Broking, said.
She noted that rising market uncertainty, reflected in an uptick in the CBOE Volatility Index, has encouraged investors to maintain higher cash positions rather than aggressively accumulate bullion.
"A global equity sell-off triggered by surging oil prices and persistent Middle East tensions has added volatility across asset classes but failed to provide sustained support to gold," More said.
