Delhi HC directs DU to preserve EVMs used in student polls over tampering petition

NSUI’s Ronak Khatri and Joslyn Nandita Choudhary challenged the election of ABVP’s Aryan Maan as DUSU president, alleging EVM tampering

New Delhi

The court fixed December 16 as the next date of hearing. (Representative photo)

The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Delhi University’s chief electoral commissioner appointed for the Delhi University Student Unions (DUSU) polls to preserve the electronic voting machines (EVMs) used in the elections, over allegations of tampering.

A bench of justice Mini Pushkarna issued notice in a petition filed by National Students Union of India (NSUI) leaders Ronak Khatri and Joslyn Nandita Choudhary, challenging the election of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad’s (ABVP’s) Aryan Maan as DUSU president, alleging EVM tampering.

Khatri was elected president in last year’s polls. Choudhary contested for the president’s post on NSUI’s behalf this year, but lost to Maan. The polls took place on September 18, and the results were announced on September 19.

“Issue notice. In the interim, the Chief Electoral Commissioner appointed by DU is directed to ensure that the EVMs utilised for polling and counting, all paper trails and documentation are in a secure place under lock and key,” the court said in its order, while fixing December 16 as the next date of hearing.

In the petition, Khatri had sought fresh elections for the post of president, alleging that EVMs had been tampered with by marking blue ink against the names of ABVP candidates to sway voters, especially at Hansraj College, Kirori Mal College and Faculty of Law. The petition argued that such tampering compromised the neutrality and transparency of the electoral process.

“The deliberate presence of blue ink markings against the name of the ABVP candidate on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) constitutes a clear and unequivocal case of tampering with the election process. Such markings create an impression of pre-selection, exhibiting bias and undue influence upon the electorate, and thereby defeat the fundamental requirement of free and fair elections, which form part of the basic structure of the Constitution,” the petition contended.

The varsity’s lawyer, Rupal Mohinder, opposed the petition, arguing that Khatri had failed to make Maan and the colleges where the alleged tampering took place as parties to the case.