The Delhi police is taking a proactive approach to manage law and order in the university area now witnessing campaigning for the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) polls to be held on September 27.
The police have already registered FIRs against leaders of different student unions including Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Congress’ National Students' Union of India while heightening the security deployment in a three step approach.
Amid campaigning ahead of the keenly contested DUSU elections in full swing with posters up on walls, DCP North Manoj Kumar Meena said that a total of 23 FIRs have been lodged in the last 15 days in regards to defacement of public property including 18 against those leaders whose posters have been up on the walls of the north campus university area, which has prestigious colleges like Sri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Miranda House, Ramjas among others.
Posters and banners of different student political outfits have been pasted across the campus despite the ‘democracy walls’, which are dedicated spaces provided by the administration to paste campaign material.
“To ensure that we maintain the law and order situation ahead of the DUSU elections and see that no violence happens, we have taken a proactive approach. First, we have registered FIRs against 18 student leaders whose posters have been put up outside the walls of the college and will continue to do so till the elections,” Meena said. The five other FIRs are in regards to non-political posters including those regarding PGs and hostel accommodations for college students.
The FIRs have been lodged under Section 3 of the Delhi Defacement of Public Property Act, 2007 which states “whoever defaces any property in public view by writing or marking with ink, chalk, paint or any other material except for the purpose of indicating the name and address of the owner or occupier of such property, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine which may extend to fifty thousand rupees, or with both.”
Further, along with this, the police are also providing necessary security when drives by Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and administration of the university are being carried out to remove such posters and banners.
Strengthening and increasing security deployment round the clock around the campus zone from September 1 is another step taken by the police to ensure that nothing untoward happens in the anticipation of the elections. These deployments will be gradually increased in the coming days till elections take place.
Firstly, police personnel have deployed in day and night to ensure vigilance in the area with increased deployment in the night. “We deploy 35 more police officers at night in addition to the existing ones to make sure no untoward incident happens,” Meena stated.
Further, the police are also patrolling the area by cars and bikes to keep the environment around the campus safe for college students. Additionally, vehicular checks around the area are also being done.
