Delhi HC directs DU to preserve DUSU EVMs after NSUI alleges tampering favoring ABVP. NSUI also faces internal factional rifts, weakening its performance and sparking discontent over leadership and candidate selection.
The Delhi High Court on Monday, in a petition that was moved by Ronak Khatri, who was elected president of the Delhi University Students Union in last year’s election, and Joslyn Nandita Chaudhary, who was the presidential candidate for the National Student’s Union of India in DUSU polls this year, alleging tampering of EVMs, directed the chief election officer to preserve electronic voting machines (EVMs) and related paper trails pertaining to the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections this year. The High Court also sought a response from the university.
Congress’s student wing is seeking a rescinding of the election process and a declaration that it was hampered by EVM tampering, “which was found to be marked in a manner favouring a particular candidate”. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) candidate Aryan Maan secured the top post in the student elections held last week.
According to NSUI leaders, the EVMs had been deliberately tampered with, with blue ink markings against the name of ABVP presidential candidate Maan, “to influence voters”. It has also been submitted that the irregularities were “specifically witnessed and reported” at Hansraj College, Kirori Mal College, and the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, and similar complaints “also emanated from several other colleges and departments across the university campus, as reported by various students”.
Despite reporting of such incidents to returning officers, teachers on election duty and other authorities, there was no effective response, according to the petitioners. Justice Mini Pushkarna directed the hearing next for December 16 after it issued notice to DU and directed the chief election officer to preserve the EVMs along with the paper trail.
The petitioners have also alleged that the election officers, university officials, and several teachers deputed on election duty were in support of ABVP based on their conduct.
The student wing is also facing friction from factions within its union. It has aggravated amidst the announcement of the results of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) polls, in which the party performed underwhelmingly and secured only one of four posts, that of vice-president, a weaker performance than last year, where they secured the posts of president and joint secretary.
The party is divided between the supporters of NSUI national chief Varun Choudhary and, on the other, the loyalists of the All India Congress Committee’s NSUI in-charge, Kanhaiya Kumar. Those belonging to Varun’s faction accuse Kanhaiya of sabotage, alleging that his hunt for a successor to Varun a fortnight before the polls made him look weak. They also allege that Kanhaiya did not bother to campaign even for a single day before the September 18 DUSU elections.
Varun also finds himself in contention because of his decision to select candidates with roots in Rajasthan, his home state, for the posts of president and vice-president, which caused wide discontentment amongst the party and especially amongst the Haryana Lobby, who staged a protest against him in front of Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot.
Read- NSUI Garners Sachin Pilot’s Support Ahead of DUSU Polls
Image Credits– Law Chakra on X
Divyanshi Dusad
Comments are closed.