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Delhi High Court Warns It May Halt DUSU Results Over Election Violence

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The Delhi High Court has warned that it may stay the counting of votes and declaration of results for the DUSU elections if authorities fail to act on alleged violence during campaigning, and has sought status reports from Delhi University, Delhi Police and the Delhi government by Friday.

The Delhi High Court on Thursday warned that it could halt the counting of votes and the declaration of results in the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections if it remains unsatisfied with the action taken against those allegedly involved in violence and violations of election guidelines during campaigning.

A bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia was hearing an application seeking strict enforcement of the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations, anti-defacement guidelines and the DUSU Code of Conduct, filed after reports of extensive vandalism on 16 September, the final day of campaigning. The plea alleges breaches of election rules restricting each candidate to four bona fide resident students, and seeks disqualification of candidates and supporters found responsible for violations.

The court observed, “Democracy cannot be converted into a criminal society,” while noting that the material placed before it depicted an “almost complete failure” on the part of the authorities to ensure the smooth conduct of the elections despite repeated past assurances.

The bench directed Delhi University, Delhi Police and the Delhi government to file detailed status reports on the incidents and the action taken by Friday, when the matter will next be heard. It also ordered a copy of its order sent to the Delhi Police Commissioner, the Delhi Chief Secretary and the Lieutenant Governor. The court clarified that polling scheduled for 18 September was not being stayed or postponed, though a harsher order remains possible depending on the reports submitted. Results are expected to be declared on 19 September.

Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Read Also: Hansraj College Offers Extra Attendance, Certificates to Boost Voter Turnout for Union Elections

Vidhi Ramchandani 

[email protected]



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DUSU Campaigning Turns Violent Near Arts Faculty

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DUSU campaigning turned violent near the Arts Faculty in North Campus on September 17th, with witnesses reporting significant fighting and damage to posters and vehicles.

Campaigning for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections turned confrontational near the Faculty of Arts on September 16, the final day of campaigning, with reports of a clash involving campaigners and people travelling through the area.

At around 5 pm, ABVP supporters were seen campaigning near the Faculty of Arts, causing traffic congestion in the area. According to accounts from witnesses present, an altercation took place after a few occupants of a car approached the campaigners and asked them to clear the road or shift the campaign area.

The disagreement reportedly escalated from a verbal exchange into a physical confrontation. The occupants of the car were alleged by those present to have links with the NSUI, although their affiliation could not be independently established at the time of reporting.

The confrontation involved several individuals, with reports of physical assault and damage to vehicles. Witnesses also reported the use of objects, including wooden sticks, rods and PVC pipes, during the clash.

The situation subsequently spread beyond the initial confrontation. Campaign banners belonging to different student groups were reportedly torn down, while some vehicles and property in and around the area were damaged.

According to accounts from students present at the time, a group of campaigners also entered the Kirori Mal College girls’ hostel premises, where banners associated with other student groups were allegedly removed or damaged. Many of the groups were seen carrying sticks and pipes to clash with the other groups. A brief altercation took place between the group and a few people, where a jeep was allegedly damaged by the sticks. Students reported verbal exchanges and threats during the incident. A similar confrontation was subsequently reported in the boys’ hostel area.

The incident also raised concerns among students and members of the public who were recording the events on their phones. Some people present alleged that individuals attempting to record the clashes were confronted or prevented from doing so. Claims regarding the use of internet-jamming equipment could not be independently verified.

A journalist and cameraman from an independent media organisation were also present to cover the final day of campaigning. While recording the incident, the cameraman was reportedly confronted by individuals involved in the clash. The journalist accompanying him alleged that she was manhandled while attempting to intervene.

The sequence of events and the identities and affiliations of all those involved could not be independently established at the time of reporting. Further verification, including accounts from the student organisations, eyewitnesses, university authorities and police, would be necessary to establish responsibility for the incidents.

The incidents on the final day of campaigning have raised concerns over the conduct and safety of campaigning ahead of the DUSU elections. With multiple reports of physical confrontations, damage to property and alleged interference and harassment with those documenting the events. Questions are persistent regarding the circumstances that led to the clashes and the accountability of those involved. 

Rajarshi Ghosh 

[email protected]

Image Source: DU Beat

Read Also: Hansraj College Offers Extra Attendance, Certificates to Boost Voter Turnout for Union Elections

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Hansraj College Offers Extra Attendance, Certificates to Boost Voter Turnout for Union Elections

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Hansraj College has announced attendance incentives and appreciation certificates for students who vote in the 2026-27 Students’ Union elections, joining a growing list of DU colleges using such measures to boost turnout.

Hansraj College has announced a set of incentives to encourage student participation in its Students’ Union Election, scheduled for 18 September 2026 (Friday). In an official notice dated 15 September 2026, Election Officer Dr. Rachna Sharma stated that the college will award 8 bonus attendance to all students who cast their vote, along with appreciation certificates for participating voters. The college has also set up a “Selfie Point” for students to commemorate their vote after casting it.

The notice, addressed to the student body, calls on students to “exercise their right to vote and contribute to the democratic process of the college.”

Hansraj isn’t alone in using attendance and recognition-based incentives to drive election turnout. Similar measures have surfaced at other Delhi University colleges in past years, though the scale has varied, and voter turnout for college-level union elections has historically been inconsistent across campuses, often prompting administrations to experiment with such incentives.

At Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, students received 5 days of bonus attendance for voting last year, and a dedicated “Pink Booth” was set up to ensure the security and convenience of all female voters. Miranda House’s incentive was comparatively modest, with attendance benefits limited to the day of voting itself. At Motilal Nehru College, the practice was less formalised—some teachers reportedly granted attendance for three classes to students who voted, rather than it being a college-wide policy.

With Hansraj’s 8-day offer among the more generous incentives seen so far this election season, the move is likely to renew conversations around whether such measures are necessary to ensure democratic participation on campus, or whether they risk reducing voting to a transactional exercise.

Aamna Rehman 

[email protected] 

Image Source: The Hindu 

Image Caption: Students voting at DUSU Election Polling Booth at Delhi University 

Read Also: University of Delhi (DU) Releases Key Details of DUSU Elections 2026-27

 



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Student Organisations Launch Rival Manifesto Campaigns Ahead of DUSU Polls

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Wall of Democracy at the University of Delhi for DUSU

ABVP and NSUI have launched rival outreach campaigns ahead of Delhi University Student Union’s September 17 elections, aimed at collecting student suggestions to shape their poll manifestos.

With the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections scheduled for September 17, student organisations have intensified campus outreach, launching manifesto campaigns on Monday, built around student participation.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has  rolled out its “My DU, My Manifesto” campaign, inviting students across the University of Delhi to share their concerns, expectations and suggestions, which the organisation said will be incorporated into its manifesto for the polls. Under the initiative, students can share their views through a QR code as well as with ABVP volunteers conducting the campaign across various DU colleges.

ABVP Delhi State Secretary Sarthak Sharma, in conversation with The Hans, said the campaign was aimed at moving beyond closed-door manifesto drafting:

“Our manifesto should not be a document decided by a select few. Through ‘My DU, My Manifesto’, we seek to reach out to every student and understand what they consider to be the most pressing issue at the University of Delhi and what changes they wish to see in their university.”

The organisation said it would study the suggestions received from students and seek to translate them into practical and student-centric policy proposals.

Separately, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) pushed forward its own initiative, “My Campus, My Manifesto,” claiming to have collected close to 6,000 suggestions from students within a week. NSUI said its teams have been visiting colleges across DU, gathering feedback through suggestion boxes and face-to-face interactions, in an effort to ground its manifesto in grassroots concerns rather than a top-down approach.

NSUI media in-charge Ravi Pandey told The New Indian Express that the volume of responses reflected student demand to be heard.

“Nearly 6,000 suggestions in just one week show that students want their voices to be heard,” he said, adding, “We will analyse every suggestion and ensure that the manifesto reflects the real concerns and aspirations of students. The manifesto will not be written for students, but by students.”

The campaign comes ahead of the DUSU elections, which are expected to see participation from various student organisations across the university, with both ABVP and NSUI positioning their manifestos as student-driven exercises ahead of the September 17 polls.

Image Source: DU Beat

Image Caption: Delhi University’s Wall of Democracy

Also Read: IIT Delhi Records Eighth Student Death In 30 Months; Sparks Fresh Round Of Protests Over Institutional Accountability

Sheetal Mishra
[email protected]

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