After a gap of four years, the streets around Delhi University colleges wore an all-too-familiar look on Monday: Students were seen atop moving cars with posters in their hands, fireworks went off in front of college gates, printed posters dotted the streets throughout north campus, and nearly every inch of walls had the names of candidates spray-painted.
According to university guidelines, candidates are not permitted to make use of printed posters, pamphlets, or any other printed material. (HT PHOTO)
Such scenes used to be commonplace every year as campaign for the hotly contested Delhi University’s Student Union (DUSU) elections picked up pace a few months into the academic calendar. Such scenes, however, are also emblematic for a problem that has always plagued DUSU polls — flagrant violations of campaigning norms.
With elections taking place after the pandemic-induced gap of three years, officials, organisers and police are apprehensive of the possibility that excitement for the elections will be high, and it will likely mean that campaigning will be emotionally charged with students pushing boundaries of appropriate electioneering.
Experts, however, said this is not the first time such guidelines are being ignored as DU has a notorious history in terms of ignoring electioneering rules.
Professor Chandra Shekhar, who is serving as the chief election officer for DUSU elections, said that the university has reached out to the police in order to take preventive measures. He added that additional security personnel have been deployed on the ground.
Sagar Singh Kalsi, DCP, north Delhi, said, “We are taking a number of proactive steps such as issuing challans for defacement as well as for traffic violations. Because elections are being held after three years, students might be a little too excited this time...”
On Monday, across DU’s north campus and primarily on Chhatra Marg — the epicentre of the elections — majority of the cars on packed streets were plastered with posters. These colourful printed posters loudly declare the name of candidates and their affiliations. Some of these candidates make routine rounds of colleges, popping out of sunroofs in long cavalcades of cars, often using loudspeakers to make appeals.
All such activities are violations of the university’s code of conduct, which is based on the Lyngdoh committee guidelines. The committee, which was set up by the Supreme Court in 2005, set up a code that is to be followed for student union elections across universities in the country.
According to these guidelines, candidates are not permitted to make use of printed posters, pamphlets, or any other printed material. Candidates are only allowed to use handmade posters. Defacement of property is strictly prohibited. Processions or public meetings are allowed, given that they do not disturb classes, academic or co-curricular activities of colleges and universities. The use of loudspeakers, vehicles and animals are prohibited.
Spreading awareness
In a unique situation, all undergraduate students voting in this year’s polls will likely be voting for the first time. This offers parties the challenge to make students aware of elections and the processes.
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), an RSS-affiliated student body, kicked off their pre-campaigning efforts by engaging with students across colleges. Ashutosh Singh, the party’s national media convener, said, “We are trying our best to ensure that our candidates follow the Lyngdoh committee guidelines. If any complaints are made, the party will look into it.”
In the past week, campaigning has picked up across parties. Most said that they will be releasing their manifestos and list of candidates over the next few days.
Ashish Lamba, from National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Congress’s student wing, who is serving as the current DUSU Secretary, said that they are informing students about the upcoming elections.
Current DUSU president, Akshit Dahiya of ABVP, said the number of students interested in contesting from undergraduate courses has gone down drastically. “Students are excited to vote but not many are showing an interest in campaigning...”
Sohit Drall, a first-year student from Dayal Singh College said, “I just turned 18 so I am looking forward to vote for the first time.” He comes from a political family and hence, his family wants him to contest elections. “I want to see how this election plays out first.”
Srishti Verma, a first-year student of Miranda House, said she was looking forward to voting. She said that she will decide who she wants to vote on based on the issues they bring up.
Aditi Tyagi, a hopeful for the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), said that they will fight for issues such as high fees and women’s safety. Members of All India Students’ Union (AISA) said that they will continue fighting against the four-year undergraduate programme. A member of Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) said they the party would not contest elections as it is “based solely on muscle-power and money”.
Meanwhile, as a temporary measure for this year, the maximum age limit for contestants has been increased from 22 years to 25 years for UG students and 25 years to 28 years for PG students by a DU Executive Council meeting on August 25. Delhi University Registrar Vikas Gupta said that this was done so that all can participate in the elections, as they could not participate in elections for the past three years.
In Deshbandhu college, which is in Kalkaji, students on Monday tried to enter the college due to which authorities were forced to bolt the gates. According to the college principal, Kamal Kumar Gupta, the gates were damaged. The principal said, “A large number of students tried to enter to campaign for the elections...”
Rajesh Deo, DCP Southeast, said, “Nearly a dozen students tried to enter the campus, which is when, the incident took place. The college administration asked for security deployment.”
“There have always been code of conduct violations. However, the compliance of authorities has become partisan. The administration needs to ensure that the action taken is unbiased,” Rajesh Jha, a DU professor and former member of the university’s executive council said.
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