Professor H C Shukul of the Department of Political Science compared the day's proceedings with the unconstitutional events that characterise elections in Bihar. ``Over the last 40 years, one has witnessed disturbances during the varsity elections but this is the first time that incidents of ballot papers being taken away occurred''.

The events, he said, had confirmed ``the external influence of powerful political elements out to disturb peace on the campus for the fulfilment of their own ulterior motives. They have the force and are shrewdly using elections to gain prominence. The apparent affiliations of the student unions with the Congress and BJP prove this''.

`Unprecedented'', said Professor N Rajaram of the Department of Sociology. ``One thing which has been made clear by the election proceedings is the interference from outside. The locus of power has shifted; this has been made obvious by the political influences at play in university affairs,'' he added.

Officer on Special Duty (Planning) R J Mistry said, ``Fifty years ago, elections were seen as an assertion of students' democratic rights. Where have we come? Strict precautions have to be taken in the future to prevent incidents of booth-capturing on campus''. Dean of Medicine Kamal Pathak was critical of the manner in which the elections were being conducted. ``The unconstitutional experiments being fostered by external elements having vested interests, in particular, are certainly unwelcome,'' he said.