DUSU Elections: Counting of Votes Begins Amid Tight Security

New Delhi - Counting of votes for student elections in various Delhi colleges began on Sunday under tight security, with the eagerly awaited results for the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) expected to be declared tomorrow. The counting, taking place in two shifts starting at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., follows the September 27 voting for DUSU's top four positions.

The counting of votes for individual colleges/departments/institutes/centres began on Sunday, as per instructions from the institutional authorities. Professor Satyapal Singh, Chief Election Officer of DUSU Elections 2024-25, confirmed the DUSU vote count at 8 a.m. on November 25 in the Conference Centre opposite the Botany Department in the North Campus.

The Delhi High Court had stayed the declaration of results until the removal of election-related defacement, which was completed according to a status report filed by the university on November 11. The court expressed concern over the extent of defacement, attributing it to a "festival of money laundering and defacement of public property" in a statement that reflects on the state of the education system. The court's decision to delay the results until November 26 was made after reviewing evidence of defacement in both North and South campuses.

The DUSU election results are significant as they are often seen as a barometer of political sentiment among Delhi youth. The outcome is particularly anticipated by the BJP and Congress ahead of the February Assembly elections. A strong showing by the Congress' student wing, National Students Union of India (NSUI), or the RSS-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), could potentially set a favorable tone for their respective parties in the upcoming elections.

AAP, which has held power in Delhi for a decade, is yet to establish itself as a major force in DUSU elections. The student union has a history of producing prominent political figures, including Union Ministers Arun Jaitley and Vijay Goel of the BJP, and Union Minister and former Delhi Mayor Ajay Maken and former MLA Alka Lamba of the Congress.

Approximately 1.40 lakh students were eligible to vote in the DUSU elections, choosing from 21 candidates for the four top positions.