DUSU Election: Did 1.55 Lakh Students Cast Their Votes Amidst Controversy?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Over 1.55 lakh students voted in the DUSU elections.
- The turnout was 39.45 percent across 52 centers.
- Allegations of violence and rigging were prominent during the election.
- Both ABVP and NSUI claimed victory.
- Results will be announced on Friday.
New Delhi, Sep 18 (NationPress) More than 1.55 lakh students participated in the voting process on Thursday for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) election, a session overshadowed by claims of violence and electoral fraud. The competing student factions, ABVP and NSUI, both asserted their triumph. The election results are set to be revealed on Friday.
The voting was organized in two distinct sessions - morning and evening. The morning segment commenced at 8.30 a.m. and, despite a slow start, gained momentum at various polling locations before concluding at 1 p.m.. The evening voting occurred from 3 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. across eight colleges.
The overall turnout reached 39.45 percent across all 52 centers, featuring 195 booths equipped with 711 EVMs. Out of over 2.75 lakh eligible students from more than 50 colleges in Delhi University, these students were entitled to cast their votes in the DUSU election.
There are nine candidates contesting for the position of DUSU President, while 12 candidates are vying for the other three positions – Vice President, Secretary, and Joint Secretary.
During the day, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, accused the current DUSU President and NSUI leader Raunak Khatri of being involved in an altercation that reportedly resulted in a student's injury on the North Campus.
ABVP Delhi State Secretary Sarthak Sharma claimed that Khatri's supporters physically assaulted a student outside Kirori Mal College, leading to her injury.
Both the ABVP and NSUI declared victory in the election. The ABVP expressed confidence in winning all four Union positions, dismissing the Congress-backed NSUI's claims as mere signs of desperation.
“Just as Congress blames EVMs for its losses in every election, NSUI is following the same trend,” Sharma remarked.
ABVP National General Secretary Virendra Solanki added that NSUI is merely contesting for a distant third place and resorting to unfounded accusations.
Conversely, NSUI has called for the disqualification of ABVP's presidential candidate, alleging electoral fraud and manipulation.
NSUI National President Varun Chaudhary asserted that incidents of misconduct had been reported from Kirori Mal College, Hindu College, and Hansraj College.
Describing the events as attempts to undermine democracy, he stated, “Such undemocratic actions will not be tolerated. Students will respond to ABVP's dishonesty through their votes.”