DUSU polls: results delayed; votes to be counted on Nov. 25

Delhi University (DU) on Wednesday postponed to November 25 the counting of votes polled during the student union elections in September after an inspection panel expressed dissatisfaction with the clean-up exercise undertaken by candidates to restore defaced properties.

The panel has identified around 190 locations that need to be cleaned, said an official.

The decision was announced a day before the university was slated to declare the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) results.

According to an official notification, the counting of votes for DUSU’s central panel will now take place on November 25 at the Conference Centre near the Botany Department in North Campus. It added that the votes for the college-level student panels will be counted a day earlier, on November 24.

The delay in the counting process follows a directive from the Delhi High Court, which requires DU to submit a status report on the restoration of public property defaced during campaigning.

The court had, in its November 11 order, permitted the counting of votes subject to the inspection panel’s satisfaction regarding the clean-up drive.

The court had on September 26, a day before the polling, criticised the blatant use of “money and muscle power” by the candidates and asked the university not to declare the results until nominees restore the defaced public property and pay the expenses incurred on it.

The Chief Election Officer for the polls, Satyapal Singh, said the students have been given more time to complete the task.

Published - November 21, 2024 01:16 am IST