Poor turnout at DUSU elections
The usual fervour associated with Delhi University was missing in both north and south campuses as the students of 51 colleges voted to elect their representatives on Friday. HT reports.
The usual fervour associated with Delhi University (DU) was missing in both north and south campuses as the students of 51 colleges voted to elect their representatives on Friday.
A total of 11 candidates are contesting for the post of Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) president in the election, while 30 other candidates are vying for the three posts of vice president, secretary and joint secretary.
The over all voter turn out this year was 35 per cent as compared to 42 per cent last year.
The lukewarm response defied the election office's expectation of a substantial turnout as the number of 'freshers' had increased this year.
"I did not go out to vote since I did not know the candidates very well. Besides, I do not think it will make much of a difference who ever is elected," said Sunakshi Sehgal, a first-year student of BA (programme).
Some candidates attributed the low turn out due to the ban on campaigning by the DU election office.
Complying with the Lyngdoh committee recommendations for student union polls, campaigning through printed posters, stickers and banners on cars and walls were banned. Only handmade posters were allowed at select locations.
But the candidates used the Internet to reach out to the students and it seemed to have worked.
"Candidates campaigned through blogs and mails and that helped me know them better and vote for the right person," said Jyoti Shokeen, a student of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee College.
"It is important to vote since we need a representatives to address the problems we face in university," she added.
Varsity officials said besides few complaints, which are being examined, the polls went off peacefully. Both the varsity campuses were heavily guarded and intensively patrolled by policemen and in some places even outnumbered the voters.
The major parties contesting the polls are Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), National Students' Union of India (NSUI), All India Students Association (AISA) and Students Federation of India (SFI).
A total of 943 electronic voting machines been pressed into service, for the 111 centres for the college elections and 130 for DUSU polls.