ABVP files nomination papers for DUSU election

The ABVP on Thursday filed nomination papers for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections, with the student organisation stepping up its outreach campaign across the university ahead of the polls.

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s (ABVP) probable candidates Alok Attri, Ishu Maurya, Lakshya Raj Singh, Nitin Tanwar, Riya Chhawari, Tanya Mavi and Yash Dabas filed their nomination papers, the organisation said in a statement. The final candidates for the posts of president, vice-president, secretary and joint secretary will be selected from among the probable candidates following scrutiny, it said. The organisation has also intensified its “PG-to-PG” and “class-to-class” outreach campaigns, under which its members are meeting students to understand their concerns and suggestions. Student safety and accommodation have emerged as key issues for the organisation in the wake of the recent Satya Niketan building collapse. Under its “Aakhir Kab Tak?” campaign, the ABVP is conducting a survey of PG accommodations to identify concerns related to safety and basic facilities.

The organisation has demanded adequate and affordable hostel facilities, expediting the construction of new hostels and strict implementation of safety standards in PGs and rented accommodations in areas with a high concentration of students. The ABVP also highlighted initiatives it claimed were undertaken by its members in the DUSU, including installation of more than 1,000 CCTV cameras, the Student Facility Centre, the DUSU internship initiative, increase in PG seats, reduction in evaluation fees, and the “Madari” (street theatre and cultural festival), “Campus Kalakar” (talent and fine arts initiative) and Pink Booth initiatives. “The suggestions received during the outreach campaign will form the basis of ABVP’s upcoming election manifesto,” it said.

ABVP Delhi secretary Sarthak Sharma said the DUSU was “not merely an electoral platform” but a responsibility towards Delhi University students. Sharma said the organisation would incorporate issues and suggestions emerging from interactions with students into its manifesto, with a focus on building a safer and more accessible campus environment. The DUSU elections are scheduled to be held on September 18, with counting of votes to take place on September 19.