Pokhara, September 23:

The closed-door session of the 19th national conference of All Nepal National Free Students’ Union began here this afternoon.

The session was postponed yesterday due to a controversy surrounding the number of representatives.

Although there was a provision for participation of 1,500 representatives, as many as 2,700 representatives from across the country had come to attend the conference.

Secretary of the main conference organising committee Shivaji Gurung said the problem cropped up after 2,700 representatives turned up for the convention, while only 1,500 were invited. The row ended after the zonal zonal-level committees, which had called excess number of representatives, agreed to allow only a fixed number of representatives to take part in the conference.

Agendas on political, organisational and financial issues and the union’s statute draft would be tabled in the closed-door session.

The process of election of a new leadership would move on after discussion on these agendas, Gurung said.

Ram Kumari Jhankri and Gokul Gharti are contesting the post of president. The conference is expected to elect 70 new office bearers.