The Chittagong University Central Students' Union (CHAKSU) and Hall Parliament elections are being held for the seventh time today, Wednesday, ending a long wait of 35 years.

Voting began at 9 am and will end at 4 pm. After that, counting and results will be announced. The Election Commission said that strict security arrangements have been made around the voting.

Voting is being held in five faculties, 15 centers designated for 15 halls. Voting is being held in a total of 689 booths in 60 rooms.

Voting and counting are being shown live on 14 LED screens. Voting is being conducted on ballot papers. Counting will be done on OMR machines.

According to the Election Commission, a total of 908 candidates are contesting in this year's elections, including the central and hall parliaments. Of these, 415 are from 13 panels and independent candidates in the central parliament and 493 in the hall and hostel parliaments.

There are 47 female candidates in the central parliament. Of these, 415 candidates are contesting for 26 seats in the Chaksur, and 493 are contesting for 14 seats in the hall parliament.

Eight teams of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) are working to ensure overall security at the university. They will remain on the campus until the elections are completed smoothly, RAB authorities said.

In addition, police personnel, plainclothes intelligence agencies, and the university security department are there to ensure overall security at the university. The army is ready as a striking force.

About 60 percent of the university's students live in the city. Additional shuttle trains and buses have been arranged to facilitate their transportation to campus.

After the establishment of Chittagong University in 1966, the first Chaksu elections were held in 1970. Although elections were supposed to be held every year as per the rules, the university administration was unable to organize them due to various obstacles.

The last election was held on February 8, 1990. This election has been held only six times since the establishment of the university.