The Delhi HC has prohibited victory processions after the DUSU election results, citing security and order concerns.
On Wednesday, 17th September, the Delhi High Court ruled that no victory processions shall be carried out in the capital by candidates or their supporters post the result declaration of Delhi University Students’ Unions (DUSU) elections on Friday, 19th September. This has come from the bench comprising Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, in response to Advocate Prashant Manchanda’s plea, concerning widespread violations of Lyngdoh Committee norms and other poll codes. The latter had submitted photographs showing alleged violations being carried out by candidates. As per Law Beat and The Indian Express, it involved large-scale campaigning using money and muscle power, traffic breaches and damage to public property. According to The Hindustan Times, the High Court has also warned:
We’re not interfering with elections, but if the elections do not happen in a satisfactory, peaceful and orderly manner, if your reports are not positive, counting may take place, but we will stop functioning of the office bearers of the election.
The Court took notice of the fact that once the counting concludes, victory processions taken out by the winning candidates and their supporters become difficult for the police and university authorities to manage. Following this, the Court has not only prohibited these victory processions in and around the university campuses and hostels, but has also directed the Delhi Police, the university administration and the local civil administration to take all necessary measures to ensure that no untoward incidents occur during the polling process or at any time before or after it. It further instructed that no violations of regulatory norms be allowed.
According to The Hindustan Times, around 2.8 lakh students cast their votes today. More than 600 police personnel were deployed to ensure a smooth voting process, including 160 equipped with body cameras. The Supreme Court-appointed Lyngdoh Committee, which delineates mandatory rules to ensure free, fair and orderly DUSU elections, has capped the election expenditure of each candidate at Rs 5,000, and has allowed only handmade posters, that too at specified locations and in limited numbers. However, violations in the form of large convoys of luxury cars, excessive use of graffiti and banners and traffic disruptions necessitating road detours are visible. The HC ruling prohibiting celebratory marches is aimed at maintaining peace and order during elections.
Read Also: From Lecture Halls to Delhi High Court: DU’s Bribery Scandal Ends in Justice
Image Caption: Delhi HC prohibits victory processions after DUSU election results
Image Source: The Hindustan Times
Nasheta Zaidi
zaidinasheta @gmail.com
Comments are closed.