The AMU Students’ Union for 2016-17 was elected on 8 October 2016, with Faizul Hasan as President, Nadeem Ansari as Vice-President and Nabeel Usmani as Honorary Secretary. The poll came after the university first cancelled it in September 2016 and then gave fresh dates following student protests.
AMUSU 2016-17 office-bearers
- President: Faizul Hasan, a PhD student in the Department of Sociology
- Vice-President: Nadeem Ansari, an MSW student
- Honorary Secretary: Nabeel Usmani, a student of the Faculty of Management
The 2016 election
- First date: 26 September 2016, cancelled by the university on 21 September
- Polling: 8 October 2016, after student agitation for fresh dates
- Results: early on 9 October 2016
- Vice-Chancellor Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah praised students for a peaceful campaign that followed the Lyngdoh Committee rules
University Court members elected
Khan Mohd Maaz, Haider Saifullah, Siraj Ali, Sultan Azeem, Mohammad Noman, Mohd Asim Chaudhary, Faizur Rahman, Umair Khan, Shaiq Azam, Mohsin Masood and Saif Ahmad.
Women’s College Students’ Union 2016-17
- President: Nagma Sharif
- Vice-President: Farheen Sherwani
- Honorary Secretary: Utba Israr Sheikh
- Cabinet: Humaira Khan, Ilma Hasan, Insha Khan, Rabia Umar, Sara Dilshad, Sonam, Falak Naaz and Ufraq Shahid
The BSP split, February 2017
On 9 February 2017, ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, President Faizul Hasan and Secretary Nabeel Usmani announced support for the BSP. It was reported as the first time AMUSU office-bearers had campaigned for a party during their term. Vice-President Nadeem Ansari opposed the move, asked both to resign and said any support should be personal, not in the university’s name. Cabinet members Asif Idrees and Abdul Wasey backed Ansari, and the union split.
What happened during the 2016-17 union
- 8 October 2016: Polling saw about 70% turnout. Faizul Hasan beat Abul Farah by about 2,662 votes, and all three women cabinet candidates won, a first. (Newslaundry)
- 23-24 December 2016: The union marched to the Collectorate and sent the Chief Minister a memorandum on the promised 18% reservation for Muslims, warning of an agitation. (Business Standard / PTI)
- February 2017: A planned all-India student leaders’ meet with JNU student leaders was cancelled and then postponed after objections to a social media post by Shehla Rashid. (SabrangIndia)
- 23-25 March 2017: After an assault on BSc students led to protests, the union called it a personal dispute that should not be given a communal colour and held a peace march. (Hindustan Times)
- 12 April 2017: The union marched to the Senior Superintendent of Police’s office demanding a fast-track trial in the Pehlu Khan lynching case. (Newslaundry)
- 16 May 2017: Prof. Tariq Mansoor succeeded Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah as Vice-Chancellor. (AMU)
Previous union: AMUSU 2014-15 (Abdullah Azzam). Next union: AMUSU 2017-18 (Mashkoor Ahmad Usmani). See every union on the AMUSU page.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the AMUSU president in 2016?
Faizul Hasan, a PhD student in Sociology, was elected AMUSU President on 8 October 2016.
Why was the AMUSU 2016 election postponed?
AMU cancelled the 26 September 2016 poll on 21 September, citing the situation on campus. After student protests, it held the election on 8 October 2016.
Who was the AMU Women’s College union president in 2016?
Nagma Sharif was elected President of the Women’s College Students’ Union in October 2016.
Photo of Nadeem Ansari: YouTube. Photo of Faizul Hasan: YouTube. Sources: Ummid.com, 9 October 2016; Newslaundry, 10 February 2017.