The Maharashtra Students Union (MASU) has objected to Mumbai University (MU) levying an online registration fee of Rs 20 for graduates who intend to cast their vote in the upcoming senate election, which is scheduled to take place at the end of this year or beginning of 2023. In the last poll, held in 2017, no such charges were levied on students. Moreover, teachers and principals, who are also entitled to register and vote, have been exempted from paying the fee.

MASU’s contention is that MU has sufficient funds and its insistence on students paying the fee is against the principle of free and fair elections. If the Election Commission conducts general or any ward-level elections, including polls for seven graduate constituencies, using its own funds, why is MU charging graduate voters to register,” asked Advocate Siddharth Ingle, who is also the founder-president of MASU.