After one and half months, the Delhi High Court Monday permitted the Delhi University (DU) to count the votes for the DU Students’ Union (DUSU) polls “on or before November 26”, subject to its satisfaction over campus cleaning measures by students.

The vote counting was stalled by a bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela on September 26 after it observed large-scale defacement and destruction of the university as well as other public properties.

The bench said while most colleges and faculties in the north and south campuses were cleaned up by the candidates, photographs showed certain properties close to the campus still bearing posters and graffiti. The counsel appearing for the candidates assured the removal of any such material from the remaining properties within a week.

 "(The matter is closed) with a direction to DU to undertake the counting process on or before November 26 if it is satisfied that the (remaining) sites.. Are cleaned and repainted within a week," said the bench on Monday.

 The intent of the proceedings was to reform and not punish the students, the bench underscored.  The bench underscored the intent of the proceedings was to reform and not punish the students, adding that it hoped that a "clear message" was sent to the present as well as future student candidates. "The intent of the present proceedings was to ensure that students realise that the university property belongs to the public at large and that DUSU candidates are entitled to use it for a limited period and they hold it in trust for the next batch of students," the court said. The bench said it was the responsibility of current students and candidates to ensure the next batch got to use the DU infrastructure in a "good and clean" condition.  "Since the candidates for the DUSU elections are young, this court is of the view that they deserve a second chance," it noted.

Advocate Prashant Manchanda filed a plea seeking action against the prospective DUSU candidates and student outfits for allegedly damaging, defacing, soiling and destroying public properties.  Subsequently, 15 DUSU candidates were added as parties to the application.

DU on Monday submitted that “nearly all the colleges/departments/institutes/faculties” in its north and south campuses have been cleaned, Manchanda submitted a compilation of photographs of the defacement continuing across Delhi, including in police stations and other sites.

The court orally observed during the proceedings that the vice-chancellor should take action against students who defaced properties during campaigning.

 "Your VC should take action against those who have spray painted entire walls. Why should they be studying in DU? Why are they giving a bad name to DU? Are you powerless? .. You have no conduct for students that they shouldn't spray paint walls? They must realise they are holding it in trust for someone for the next generation," it remarked.

While the polling took place on September 27, the vote counting -- scheduled for September 28 -- was stalled till all the defacement material, including posters, hoarding and graffiti, was removed and public property restored. The court had impleaded candidates -- Bhaanu Pratap Singh, Ronak Khatri, Yash Panwar, Rishabh Chaudhary, Lokesh Chaudhary, Yash Nandal, Rahul Singh Dedha, Aman Kapasia, among others -- asking them to clean up and beautify the areas defaced during the campaigning.