84-pc turnout in DUTA polls, executive results declared

New Delhi, Sep 4 (PTI) Voting for the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) elections witnessed an enthusiastic response on Thursday, with 8,221 of the 9,800 eligible teachers casting their votes.

This marked a turnout of 84 per cent, slightly lower than the 85.85 per cent recorded in 2023.

The polling, held from 10 am to 5 pm at 32 booths set up in the Arts Faculty and Satyakam Bhawan, decided the fate of six presidential candidates and 25 aspirants for 15 executive member posts. The counting of votes for the president's post was still underway late into the evening, while the executive results were declared.

Fifteen members were elected to the DUTA executive, with Akanksha Khurana topping the list by securing 9,576 votes. She was followed by Ramanand Singh (9,192) and Manish Kumar (7,372).

The other winners are Sakshi Yadav (6,612), Dinesh Kataria (6,439), Amit Singh (6,388), Bimalendu (6,081), Sanjay Kumar (5,862), Biswajit Mohanty (5,658), Chhotu Ram Meena (5,632), Bhupendra Singh (5,338), Yash Yadav (5,283), V S Dixit (5,238), Devendra K Rana (4,521) and Dhanraj Meena (3,949).

The presidential contest this year is being closely watched, with the main battle between Professor V S Negi of the National Democratic Teachers Front (NDTF), Prof. Rajib Ray of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) and Prof. Rajesh Jha of the Academic for Action and Development Delhi Teachers Association (AADTA). Others in the fray include Prof. Kamlesh Kumar Raghuvanshi, Sandeep and Prof. Sanjay Mohan.

The DUTA polls, held biennially, are seen as crucial for shaping the policies and academic direction of the Delhi University. This year's campaign revolved around issues, such as permanent appointments, regularisation of ad-hoc teachers, implementation of the National Education Policy and academic reforms.

Outside the polling venues, supporters distributed pamphlets and appealed to teachers to vote, while groups of teachers were engaged in discussions over the election issues. In 2023, Prof. Ajay Kumar Bhagi of the NDTF was elected as the DUTA president. PTI MHS RC