DUSU elections saw 39.36 per cent turnout, up from last year but below 2023 levels. Voting was peaceful yet marred by littering, clashes, traffic, and EVM tampering allegations amid tight security and 21 candidates contesting.
The voter turnout for this year’s Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) election stood at 39.36 per cent, a decent rise from last year’s turnout, which stood at 35.2 per cent, but it still does not meet the rate of 42 per cent, which was recorded in 2023. This was amidst a 3-year halt in the conduction of elections due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Polling was conducted at 52 centres with 195 booths, where 711 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were deployed.
Chief Election Officer Raj Kishore Sharma said polling proceeded smoothly across most colleges.
Out of the 1.53 lakh registered voters, 60,272 students cast their votes. At Kirori Mal College, the turnout was 32 per cent. Principal Dinesh Khattar said,
The college has successfully conducted polling, and the campus is clean… no defacement or waste lying around.
At Ramjas College, the turnout was slightly higher but still lower than the average at 37.52%. Principal Ajay Arora stated that,
Voting has been successfully held at seven booths.
Miranda House saw an active participation of over 2500 votes in the first phase. Polling in the college was conducted in two phases: from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm for day scholars and from 3:00 pm to 7:30 pm. Delhi Police deployed over 600 personnel, including 160 with body-worn cameras, while drones and CCTV surveillance covered sensitive areas.
The election was conducted not without its hurdles; the area surrounding the campuses saw littering due to cards of candidates being distributed. Despite tight police control, clashes still occurred between rivals, and supporters of each faction gathered in huge numbers, resulting in road blockages and significant traffic congestion.
The elections also witnessed controversies due to allegations of malpractice by the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI)’s presidential candidate, Joslyn Nandita Choudhary, alleging that she observed blue ink on the EVMs near the name of Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP)’s presidential candidate, Aryan Maan.
Delhi ABVP State Secretary Sarthak Sharma responded by stating,
Just as the Congress blames EVMs after every electoral loss, NSUI is following the same pattern. Their desperation is evident from their fear of defeat and declining popularity among students.
This year, 21 candidates were contesting for the four main student body posts – President, Vice President, Secretary, and Joint Secretary. Of these, nine contestants were competing for the president’s seat, while the remaining were contesting for the other three positions.
Read Also: What Does the Student Body Want?
Image Credits-: Sameer for DU Beat
Divyanshi Dusad
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