More needs to be done for ensuring students polls held in orderly manner: Delhi HC to DU

New Delhi, Sep 10 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said the Delhi University needs to take more steps to ensure student body polls in the capital were held in a peaceful manner, without any adverse occurrences, including defacement of public property.

A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said excessive use of motorised vehicles, including tractors, in the election campaign cannot be approved of, especially due to fact that they block traffic and make the life of an ordinary citizen miserable.

The court observed though the university's counsel assured all precautions and necessary steps being taken by the administration to maintain law and order, the petitioner's contention indicated "another story".

"It may be that certain show cause notices might have been issued by the Delhi university. However, in our opinion, something more needs to be done to ensure that elections take place in an orderly manner without indulging into any kind of untoward incident, defacement of the properties or illegal plying of vehicles," it said.

The bench said despite rules, it was generally observed candidates and their supporters deviated from them in their enthusiasm to intensify their campaign.

"Without diluting the responsibility and duties of the authorities of the university or the police authorities or other related departments, we are constrained to observe that the candidates aspiring for contesting the elections need to understand that unless they conduct themselves in a manner which is appropriate to democratic setup of the society, the institutions which they intend to man once they get elected, are not likely to perform their functions which are expected of them," the bench said.

Advocate Prashant Manchanda moved high court raising concerns over the violation of guidelines and rules to ensure elections of Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) were held in an orderly manner.

After examining the photos and videos, the bench prima facie found several violations during the ongoing student campaigns on campus.

While the polling will take place on September 18, the vote counting is scheduled on September 19.

The bench said the material before it was "telling story as to how these contestants in the election of the Delhi University Student Union, are violating all settled norms".

The bench said elections of any democratic institution was fundamental to democratic functioning of a society.

"Equally significant and important is that such democratic bodies or individuals aspiring when such bodies also function and conduct themselves within the rule of law," it said.

The court directed the appropriate authority of the university to file an affidavit by September 15, detailing measures to ensure elections were held in a proper manner.

"The measures should be effective and followed so that no defacement of the properties in and around the university or in the city at large takes place, election campaigns are taken out in a peaceful and orderly manner, and other laws relating to traffic, etc., are followed," the bench said.

The court directed Delhi Police to extend all possible help and cooperation to the university authorities at least during the elections.

The bench further directed the authorities of the university "at the highest level" to hold a meeting with the police commissioner to take stock of the situation and take "joint steps" to ensure all rules and norms were followed.

It also asked the competent officer of Delhi Police to file an affidavit with details of the steps being taken to extend cooperation to the university authorities to ensure peaceful and smooth elections.

Manchanda's plea sought action against the prospective DUSU candidates and student outfits involved in allegedly damaging, defacing, soiling and destroying public walls.

In 2024, noting the defacement done by the candidates and their supporters, the high court halted the results till all the defacement material, including posters, hoarding and graffiti, was removed and public property was restored. PTI SKV SKV AMK AMK