Itanagar, May 18: The All Nyishi Students’ Union (ANSU) on Monday officially declared Romesh Maga as the newly elected Vice-President for the 2024–2027 tenure after a long-pending ballot box, kept in police custody since November 2024, was finally opened and counted in Itanagar.
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| Romesh Maga addresses the media in Itanagar after being declared elected as Vice-President of the All Nyishi Students’ Union (ANSU) for the 2024–2027 term following the long-delayed ballot count on May 18, 2026. |
The counting process was conducted at the ANSU office following an order issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Capital Itanagar on May 15, 2026. The sealed ballot box had earlier been deposited at Itanagar Police Station under official directive amid disputes surrounding the Vice-President election.
According to the official notification issued by ANSU Chief Election Commissioner Yurum Tamin, a total of around 5,313 ballots were counted, of which 211 votes were declared invalid.
Romesh Maga secured 2,756 valid votes, defeating rival candidate Tadak Lardak Murtem, who received 2,346 votes. Maga won the election by a margin of 410 votes.
Polling agents representing both candidates, along with observers from the Nyishi Elite Society (NES), were present during the counting and verification process. The final result was witnessed and signed by NES representatives including Saikia Yangda Neri, Tage Lapung and Solung Sonam.
The declaration formally concludes the electoral process for the Vice-President post in the XVIth ANSU General Election (2024–2027), ending nearly one-and-a-half years of uncertainty over the disputed ballot count.
The issue had earlier triggered strong reactions within the student body. On Sunday, ANSU announced a proposed 12-hour bandh across the region on May 18, alleging prolonged delay and lack of transparency in resolving the ballot counting dispute. However, the protest was later suspended after authorities informed the union about the release and handover of the sealed ballot boxes from police custody.
The communication from Itanagar Police Station directed representatives of NES, ANSU officials, election candidates and the former Chief Election Commissioner to remain present during the handover process, which was carried out under the orders of the Deputy Commissioner with approval from the Superintendent of Police.
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Despite the eventual counting of votes, the controversy also took a legal turn after a notice issued on behalf of ANSU president Lezen Gyadi urged authorities not to open the ballot boxes, stating that the matter remained sub judice before the Civil Judge (Junior Division), Yupia, under Title Suit No. 18/2024.
The legal notice alleged that opening the ballot boxes could violate a status quo order issued on January 20, 2026, and warned of possible law-and-order complications. It also accused the Nyishi Elite Society of interfering in ANSU’s internal electoral matters.
Although the bandh was withdrawn and the counting process completed, the dispute surrounding the ANSU Vice-President election continues to generate legal and political debate within the student community and associated organisations.
