Agra, Nov. 7 -- Women candidates made history in the Aligarh Muslim University Students' Union elections, winning eight key posts, including vice-president, the results of which were announced on Friday. Nashra Naim, a BA LLB student, became the first woman elected vice-president of the students' union in the institution's nearly 106-year history. She also became the first woman candidate to win any chair position at AMUSU. The chair seats are the posts of president, vice president and secretary. Since 1920, the year in which AMU was established, no woman candidate has ever won a chair seat at AMUSU. This year's elections were held after an eight-year gap, following persistent student protests. Polling was held on Thursday and counting began at 7pm. As the results came in the early hours of Friday, students were seen celebrating. Nashra Naim secured 7,091 votes, defeating her nearest rival, who polled 5,818 votes, according to the result details. Women candidates also won five of the 10 cabinet member posts in the AMU students' union. The women elected to the AMUSU cabinet are Hania Khan (8,266 votes), Areeba Dilshad (7,091), Shazia Shamim (6,332), Anika Rumman Rahi (4,498) and Shaheen Parween (4,098), according to AMU public relations officer Omar S Peerzada. In addition, for the first time in AMU's history, two women candidates found representation from their faculties in AMU Court. Amina Faizan was elected from the Faculty of Unani Medicine while Ilma Mashroof won from the Faculty of Commerce. The post of president was won by Mohammad Noman Ashraf, who secured 7,797 votes, while Mohammad Hamdan was elected secretary, polling 8,385 votes. Among the male students, the elected cabinet members are Muhammad Ahmad Khan (10,794 votes), Muhammed Muhsin K (6,267), Muhammed Murshid K (5,644), Arsalan Khan (4,680), and Mohd Faiz (4,035). The results were declared by Prof Javaid Talib, chief election officer for the AMUSU and AMU court elections, and Prof Nazia Hasan, chief election officer for the Women's College Students' Union elections. Expressing satisfaction with the conduct of the elections, AMU vice chancellor Prof Naima Khatoon congratulated the newly elected office bearers, cabinet members and court representatives. "Our students have once again shown how much they value the democratic process, and I am proud of the way they took part in it," she said. She also welcomed the growing participation and representation of women, highlighting the importance of women's empowerment. Crediting her win as the victory of every student at AMU, Nashra Naim said, "A woman needs to create space for herself and I created it for myself. We had very few days to campaign, limited resources and few people to support the campaign but whosoever joined me, joined with commitment and this zeal to succeed paid off at last." No incident of violence was reported during the election campaign, according to university officials. Amina Irshad, the lone woman candidate for president's post lost the election as she polled 136 votes. "Maybe not this time, but I am happy that I took the initiative to break the trend and filed my nomination. Someone needs to make a beginning, why not me?" Amina Irshad said . A graduate from Jamia Millia Islamia University at Delhi, Amina Irshad (28) is currently a research scholar at AMU's department of economics. "Some losses are better than triumph. I stood for women's participation, women's voice and the overall results prove the point. AMUSU is having a woman vice-president for the first time and half of the AMUSU cabinet consists of women students, that too without any reservation. If it is vice president this time, it could be a woman becoming the AMUSU president the next time," she said. Prof Javaid Talib, chief election officer for the AMUSU and AMU court elections, said, "An encouraging feature of this year's elections was the significant participation and representation of women." AMU public relations officer Omar S Peerzada stressed that no political interference was ever allowed since the AMU Student Union took shape with the founding of the university in 1920. "Elections are held without any party support, direct or indirect and political overtones are avoided. This tradition is maintained till date in AMU student politics," Peerzada said. The vice chancellor accepted the demand for the students' union election on October 9 and a notification was issued on October 26, candidates got little time for personal contact. "In such a scenario, digital media came in handy and replaced the traditional methodology of visiting halls (hostels) and contacting each and every student," a candidate said. Polling percentage for Women College of AMU was 62.05 while it was far more encouraging for Aligarh Muslim University Student Union (AMUSU) at 74.65 %. The AMUSU poll results were separate from results for the all-woman elections to the Women College Student Union, which was held simultaneously. Anam Riyaz was elected president of the Women's College Students' Union with 806 votes. Ayesha Khan secured the vice president's post with 1,090 votes. Maryam Jan was elected honorary secretary with 862 votes. Eight students were elected as cabinet members at WCSU. Juveriya Rehman topped the list with 1,485 votes, followed by Ameena Khanam (1,445), Hiba Manaal (1,325), Sabiha (1,251), Zakiya Murtaza (1,124), Khushboo Perween (1,118), Mehvish (1,081) and Fatima Hasan (1,079)....