With this, the police have been alerted to beef up preventive machinery against election violence on the campus and colleges. The challenge this time is greater for the police as this year the campus has already seen violence during admission time, which left 20 students injured.

Moreover, there being a gap of 10 days between the announcement and holding of the elections, sources say the police would have to look for a foolproof plan to deal with the violence.

The SFI, which has dominated the HPU campus since the past five years, does not seem complacent and the ABVP looks desperate to make a comeback with some seats.

Though the NSUI has almost been a non-performer on the university campus with no seats in the past decade, its performance in colleges is a complete contrast, with the party in a dominant position. The ABVP has been fighting at second positing in the overall seat tally.

Police at the moment are not ready to name any the sensitive colleges, hostels and groups that would be under close scanner, but orders for police deployment in colleges and the varsity campus have been issued.

IG (Law and Order) S.R. Mardi said the police would ensure that the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee and the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s orders are followed for holding peaceful elections.

Vice-Chancellor Sunil Kumar Gupta said the election process would begin from August 14 with display of voter list and the counting of votes would be done on the evening of August 21.