DU Elections Archives - DU Beat - Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper

The student body of Aam Aadmi Party, Chatra Yuva Sangharsh Samithi ( CYSS) has been on an indefinite hunger strike.

The hunger strike that started on the 27th of this month, outside the Arts Faculty has been continuing for the last 48 hours. It is being organised with respect to demanding the fulfilment of various needs put up by the Student wing.

The demands being

1. Hostels for all students

2.Equal fees for all colleges in the university

3.Re-examination for students in the same year if failed.

4.A 24-hour library facility

5.Elections through ballot paper.

DU Beat was able to speak to Mr Chandramani Dev who is the state committee Vice President of CYSS. He had this to say, ” The re-examination of students who are not able to clear their examinations used to happen the same year earlier. This system was later changed. It puts a lot of pressure on the students. Thus it’s important that this system is brought back so that the students do not have to waste a year”.

He also started the reasons for demanding ballot based vote ” Last year I had contested to be the joint secretary of DUSU, I was winning till the sixth round after which there was a five-hour-long electricity cut. When the results were announced I had lost. The voting machines were tampered with and that clearly cancels out the spirit of DU elections. Thus we have been demanding to bring back ballot system.”

Politicians like Mr Harsh Bansal also came to Arts Faculty to meet the students.

CYSS had decided to not participate in the elections for DUSU this year stating that they will only participate if the ballot term is brought back.

Stephen Mathew

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Interviews

In conversation with DUSU Vice President, Priyanka Chhawri

By Riya Chhibber September 19, 2016

After days of anticipation and a rigorous electoral campaign, ABVP’s Vice Presidential candidate Priyanka Chhawri emerged victorious. A graduate in Mathematics from Lakshmibai College , University of Delhi, and currently pursuing her M.A in Buddhist Studies from Dept. Of Buddhist Studies, DU, from discussing her journey into politics to her plans of bringing changes in the campuse, we got chatting with her about her new found role.

Excerpts:

DUB: What motivated you to pursue your candidature in the DUSU elections? How did your journey into student level politics begin?

Priyanka Chhawri: I am a student activist from the past five years and it all started when I appeared for CATE entrance and saw a group of students protesting at the arts faculty against the DU administration. The protest was led by ABVP.I was so influenced by the student leaders that it occurred to me that I must also be there one day! So when I got admission in LBC, I joined ABVP and became an active member! I saw a great change in me in these five years. ABVP groomed me into a more confident and responsible person and with time I attained the leadership skills that were needed to contest in DUSU elections and now, here I am, as the DUSU Vice President.

DUB: What are your some of the key areas that you are personally looking forward to focusing upon in your tenure?

PC: Personally , I would focus more on introducing societies for blind and physically handicapped students, constructing pathways for the same, giving North Campus a new look by putting the map of the campus near metro and recognised places, creating awareness session about the women safety app launched by ABVP – ‘I FEEL SAFE’, in every college, providing health cards,making medical rooms functional in every college and providing the facility of printed mark sheets be issued to students after every semester.

DUB: The DUSU polls saw some lavish campaigning this time again. What is your take on the guidelines by Lyngdoh Committee and National Green Tribunal about the budget restrictions and green campaigning? Do you think they are realistic targets that can be met?

PC: I think it’s not feasible to contest DUSU election in just 5ooo Rupees. How unrealistic it is, that the same amount is allowed to both contest college elections and DUSU? From the last four years , the Lyngdoh Committee hasn’t been reviewed and it’s time that we look into this matter.So, as an officer bearer, I will certainly put forward this issue. As far as paper usage is concerned, it is reduced as compared to last two years but yes it needs to end and just be limited to wall of democracy and advertising sites.

DUB: Last year saw DUSU office bearers being involved in some controversy or the other and accountability and work transparency was also an issue. How do you seek to tackle that?

PC: ABVP led DUSU is very committed to work for the student welfare and we have started working the day we joined our office. We submitted a memorandum to the DSW concerning the issues of students and currently we are working to combat the recent mass failure of the LL.B students regarding which, we have given a letter to the VC. This DUSU panel is dedicated to work for the student community and we have started our work positively !

DUB: NSUI has alleged discrepancy in the voting process and after a hunger strike, they are now planning to move to the court. What is your take on this whole matter?

PC: DU is a democratic university and it’s NSUI’s democratic right to get their doubts clear but I think by doing this they are questioning the mandate of the students. I think they should accept the decision of the students and move on and raise students issues rather than sitting and challenging the choice of students.

DUB: Having gone through the entire process of filing nominations, becoming the final candidate to actually winning, is there anything that you wish to change (procedural or otherwise) in the way DUSU elections unfold?

PC: From filing the nomination to actually contesting DUSU was a great experience. The administration has been very cautious during the scrutiny. But, an incident that seemed like a failure to me was when a candidate who filled the nomination was not present during scrutiny. It should become mandatory for all the candidates to be present during that process.

DUB: DUSU elections have been known to provide the country with some of the finest ministers we have had at the helm of authority in the past. Do you see yourself there? Do you plan to continue in politics?

PC: As of now , I will be working for the students and continue as a student activist.

DUB: Any interesting anecdote you would like to share with us that happened during the election process?

PC: Yes. Once I was delivering a speech in Shaheed Bhagat Singh College. I was in such a hurry (because it was the last day to campaign and I had to cover many colleges) that I forgot the last part and garbled some words and ran away. The students found it so funny and they said, ‘Hum samajh gaye aapki bhaavna’.

DUB: In a line, how would you define your motto for this year as a DUSU office bearer?

PC: I want this DUSU panel to be a medium of exposure for the student community. I will work on involving more students in every activity that is organised by DUSU!

Interviewed by Riya Chhibber

[email protected]

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DUB Speak

DUSU Elections: Handwritten posters to replace printed ones

By DU Beat September 5, 2016

This year, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had asked Delhi University to conduct paperless elections. Bolstered by NGT’s order, University authorities have decided to allow each candidate to paste only two “handwritten” posters in the campus. The chief election officer Prof. D.S Rawat said “As per the NGT order, we will allow just two ‘handwritten’ posters per candidate in one campus. Candidates will have to strictly abide by the model code of conduct set according to the Lyngdoh Committee’s recommendations”. In a recent meeting of the central advisory committee, decisions were taken to prevent wastage of polls of paper used by candidates for campaigning. Every year, lakhs of rupees are wasted on papers used in campaigns. But the university has not yet taken any action in this regard.

Recently, one of the candidates was found to have violated the rule in colleges across north campus. Following the trend, just after a couple of days, many other parties also showered the corridors of colleges with their flyers. No action has been taken against any of the candidates even though college level committees have been constituted under the principals to report such violations to the University authorities. Last Thursday, one candidate and his supporters were found defacing the Vishwavidyalaya Marg in front of gate no.1 of North Campus with paper posters and fliers. When asked about the same, one of the supporters said “These pamphlets are printed to be thrown on campus”.

Even though the campaigning has started with full swing, the University authorities seem to be in deep sleep. Without any actions, even after rampant violations, it looks like the University is planning to implement paperless elections by making rules which exist only on paper.

Image Credits: www.thehindu.com
Srivedant Kar
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DUB Speak

The Charm of Elections

By DU Beat September 3, 2016

The election fever is setting upon the whole country. We have the UP elections next year which are already generating a lot of fervour. Likewise, election activities have kick started in Delhi University too.

As the elections inch closer, the decibel levels in the University are only set to rise. It is however, not uncommon to see or hear people complain about the cacophony and the chaos that elections generally create in the campus. To avoid this, one college recently conducted E-Elections for the student union elections. The move was lauded by the authorities and students alike. There is a certain comfort factor in conducting e elections and escaping the chaos.

While the e elections have many other benefits to them, there is also a certain charm attached to conducting elections in the University campus.

On the polling day, the whole campus is abuzz with activity and there is a different kind of electricity in the air. You see posts holding aspirants with nervousness written on their faces, and mostly the fucchas excited about casting a vote. University and college elections are, for most people, their first elections. As the national polls happen every five years, most people don’t get to vote immediately after turning 18.

From standing in queues to cast your vote, to having last minute discussions about the party you feel has the best manifesto to voting on EVM’s (which is a new experience in itself), elections are a different deal altogether. Along with all this comes, the sense of taking part in a proper democratic setup, having a say and a sense of responsibility and fulfillment.

The only thing the DU elections miss is the little blue mark on your finger. I wanted one so badly, too!

Image Credits: www.newstrackindia.com

Akshara Srivastava
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