AMU students’ union elections: Nashra Naim becomes first woman vice-president, Noman
AMU students’ union elections: Nashra Naim becomes first woman vice-president, Noman Ashraf elected president
M.U.H
05/11/202613
Law student Nashra Naim has become the first woman elected vice-president of the Aligarh Muslim University Students’ Union (AMUSU), as elections returned to the university after an eight-year gap.
Research scholar Noman Ashraf won the president’s post, while BTech student Mohammad Hamdan was elected honorary secretary.
The results were announced on Friday morning following overnight counting of votes cast on November 5. Naim secured 7,091 votes, defeating Saqib Ali Khan, who polled 5,818, by a margin of 1,273 votes.
Her victory marks the first recorded instance of a woman winning one of the union’s three principal elected positions — president, vice-president or honorary secretary. Women had previously served in the union’s cabinet, including in 2015 and 2016, but had not won any of these three offices.
Noman Ashraf wins president’s post by 4,121 votes
Ashraf, a research scholar in AMU’s Department of History, secured 7,797 votes against his nearest rival, Mohammad Intikhab, who received 3,676.
Mohammad Hamdan won the honorary secretary’s post with 8,385 votes, defeating Ahmad Faraz Razi, who secured 6,882.
Counting continued through Thursday night after polling was conducted across the university. Supporters celebrated on campus as the results became clear.
Reacting to his victory, Ashraf said, “After a long struggle of eight years, we have finally achieved this opportunity, and it is a moment of great happiness.”
Hamdan acknowledged the responsibility accompanying his election and promised to work towards fulfilling his commitments to students.
“A victory this big comes with an even bigger responsibility, and I will do my best to fulfil it,” he said.
Nashra Naim calls for a new approach to student leadership
Naim, a BA LLB student, emerged victorious from a seven-candidate contest that also included another woman, Irfa Khan.
She credited her campaign team’s efforts, particularly its ability to mobilise support despite limited resources.
“I believe that achieving this in such a short time, with limited resources and a small team, was possible because of the dedication, courage and sincerity of the people who joined us,” she said.
Naim also called for a reassessment of student leadership following the prolonged absence of an elected union.
“I feel that leadership needs to be redefined. Over the past eight years, several issues have emerged,” she said.
Her election comes more than a decade after women began winning positions in the AMUSU cabinet. Kehkashan Khanam was elected to the cabinet in 2015, while three women secured cabinet positions in 2016.
Elections follow nearly 20 days of student protests
The November 5 election followed an agitation that began on September 21, with students demanding restoration of the union and a confirmed election schedule.
The protests included a hunger strike by student leader Yasir Fahad and demands for the removal of then university proctor Mohammad Naveed Khan.
The university subsequently announced the November 5 polling date and appointed Mohammad Nafees Ahmad Ansari as proctor. The decision ended the agitation and cleared the way for the first students’ union elections since the 2018–19 academic session.
The eight-year interruption meant that students admitted in the intervening years had not participated in an AMUSU election. The newly elected office-bearers will now represent student concerns through the restored union.
The university also held separate elections for the Women’s College Students’ Union, where Anam Riyaz was elected president, Ayesh Khan vice-president and Maryam Jan honorary secretary.
