DUSU Polls Today; High Court Halts Counting Of Votes (image-twitter/depressedsoul_0)
The Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) will conduct its election on Friday. Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has halted the counting of votes in DUSU elections till all the defacement material, including posters, hoarding, and graffiti, is removed and public property is restored.
The counting of votes was scheduled to be held on Saturday.
The Delhi High Court expressed its displeasure over the vandalism that had taken place on campus on Wednesday during the election campaign. On Thursday, a bench of Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela gave permission for the elections to continue but expressed concern over the lack of regulations and transparency as candidates spent large amounts of money on campaigns.
“This court directs that the elections process may proceed yet no counting of votes shall take place either on Delhi University (Students’ Union) elections or on college elections till this court is satisfied that posters, hoardings, graffiti, spray paints are removed and public property is restored,” the bench said.
The court has directed the varsity to file a fresh status report and to ensure EVMs and ballot boxes, to be used in the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections, are to be kept secured in a safe place till further orders.
The court further added that the DU vice chancellor must have put some robust system in place but he had done nothing. It wondered how the students were able to use a cavalcade of un-numbered luxurious cars in campaigning.
“These 21 students are bringing a bad name to the entire university. How can you allow this to happen? You have to exercise your powers, you don’t have to be scared of anyone,” the bench said.
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The next of the matter has been scheduled for October 21. Earlier, the court had disposed of a PIL by lawyer Prashant Manchanda seeking a complete ban on defacement of public property by the DUSU candidates.
The court also heard another plea by a group of students studying at DU. The petitioners, represented by advocate Govind Jee, highlighted the alleged nuisance, disruptions and other activities like defacement of public property under the guise of DUSU elections.
