Students of Delhi University (DU), especially the first-time voters, are brimming with joy and excitement as the varsity is set to hold the much-awaited students union elections on Friday after a gap of three years. Students of day classes will cast their votes from 8.30 am to 1 pm and those attending evening classes from 3 pm to 7.30 pm, according to the university administration.
Counting of votes will take place on Saturday. The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections were last held in 2019. The polls could not be held in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19 while possible disruptions to the academic calendar prevented their conduct in 2022. According to DU, 24 candidates are in the fray for the students body elections this time.
While there were 27 nomination papers filed for the post of president, only eight candidates remain in the fray. Of the 24 nominations for the vice-president’s post, five will contest the elections, according to the final list.
The chief election officer received 24 nominations for the post of secretary and 20 for joint secretary. Following the withdrawals, six and five candidates remain in contention, respectively.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), CPI(M)-backed Students’ Federation of India and CPI-ML(Liberation)-affiliated All India Students’ Association (AISA) have fielded candidates for all four posts. The ABVP had won three of the four seats in the 2019 DUSU elections.
While the NSUI promised to take up issues like menstrual leave, no fee hike and violence-free campus, the ABVP promised to work for more scholarships to the marginalised, including transgenders and fairness in education cost. The NSUI’s manifesto includes issues such as 12 days menstrual leave per semester, a violence-free campus, Grievance Redressal Cell, no fee hike, hostel for all, free metro pass, a library that functions round the clock, railway reservation counter on the campus, active placement cell, free WiFi and better infrastructure.
ABVP, on the other hand, pitched for the implementation of dedicated university special buses and the construction of new hostels and girls’ hostels in every college. They also promised to introduce an ‘Earn While Learn’ policy to provide students with opportunities to earn while pursuing their education.
Meanwhile, blame-game erupted between the NSUI and the ABVP as both the students’ group accused each other for creating ruckus and violence in the campus. ABVP’s Ashutosh Singh alleged, “the NSUI has been creating violence and disturbance on campus. They entered college campus disguised as female students by covering their faces and also attacked the car of Tushar Dedha who is an ABVP candidate for the DUSU elections.”
ABVP also appealed to all Delhi University students to make the mandatory use of their voting rights. It also urged students to seize this opportunity to understand their rights and contribute to becoming responsible citizens.
Tushar Dedha is running for the position of President, Sushant Dhankad for Vice President, Aprajita for Secretary, and Sachin Baisla for Joint Secretary. Shivangi Kharwal, the former Joint Secretary of DUSU and the girls’ coordinator of ABVP Delhi, said in the past 10 DUSU elections, ABVP emerged victorious in 29 out of 40 seats, securing over 72% of the results. Between 2010 and 2019, ABVP dominated the Delhi University Student Union elections, winning 29 out of 40 positions, including president, vice president, secretary, and joint secretary.
Charging the ABVP with indulging in “brazen violence,” Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar alleged that police and administration also aided the ABVP as it indulged in “rampant violence”.
“The scenes seen in Delhi University are very concerning. It is a prestigious university where not only students from the country but all over the world come and study. On social media, videos of violence are going viral which is very concerning for parents,” Kumar, who is also the AICC’s NSUI in-charge, said.
