The election fever is upon us, gloves are off and DUSU 2018 election is nearing its culmination. DUSU election voting consummated on Wednesday, 12 September. It was held in two phases – 8:30 am to 1:00 pm for morning colleges and 3:00 pm to 7:30 pm for evening colleges.
Measures were taken to oust the image of DUSU elections of being a bandit territory. The polling took place amicably, with around 100 police personnel deployed in and around campus to barricade muscling in of any unfair practices. Only students and election officials were allowed to enter as the college entrances were barricaded. Before entering the voting booth, thorough checking was taken place and no electronic device, including mobile phones, was authorized.
52 centres equipping almost 700 Electronic voting machines (EVMs) were facilitated for voting.
The initial reports suggested that the first phase saw an overall low voter throng as compared to the previous year.
Second-year law student, Chandramani Dev, who is contesting for the general secretary post blamed the violent incidents spiralling into tension and fear among students for low voter attendance.
Some blamed low turnout on ABVP for creating appalling scenarios in Ramjas College in 2017 and in the Zakir Hussain College on Tuesday.
Others believed that the angst and jitters during Umar Khalid’s event at the college have resulted in a disillusionment with DUSU politics.
The first and last student who came to vote were made to sign an affidavit stating EVMs record.
The students asserted that the election process was irenic and took place ethically.
However, ABVP was accused by NSUI of reveling in violence and purported that right-wing student body was trying to “buy” votes. Objection on wastage of paper was also raised since loads of pamphlets were strewn around in the campus. Usage of bouncers by the parties was also accounted for by the campus.
The contenders for the president’s post are Ankiv Baisoya (ABVP), Sunny Chillar (NSUI) and Abhigyan (AISA-CYSS), whereas for the post of vice-president are: Shakti Singh (ABVP), Leena (NSUI) and Anshika (AISA-CYSS).
NSUI, if voted to power, pledged to provide an “Institute of Eminence” tag for the university as well as Thali for 10 inr. Meanwhile, ABVP committed to spending 50 percent of the student union budget on women and social justice-related activities along with crediting significance on sports and installing sanitary pad vending machines in colleges.
The jointly contesting the polls of Aam Aadmi Party’s student wing, Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti and All India Students Association (AISA) have promised to institute of CCTV cameras and instating up of police booths on campus to end the culture of “muscle and money power”.
Many believe DUSU elections to be like a semi-final for Lok-Sabha elections and that the results will bolster the political parties in scoping out the mood and wants of young voters.
