New Delhi: Delhi University will implement stricter rules to prevent the influence of “money and force” in students’ union elections, following problems in this year’s polls that prompted the Delhi High Court to intervene.
The Poll Reform Commission met on Tuesday to discuss potential measures to curb repeated violations of electoral norms, including candidate overspending and widespread election practices. deface public property.
The committee also considered the issue of reserved seats for women in students’ union elections.
This year, DU was criticized by the courts for not enforcing Lyngdoh Committee Guide and National Green Tribunal (NGT) Rules.
Massive graffiti and posters plastered on public spaces and university walls have prompted complaints, prompting a court to order the varsity to reimburse civilian agencies for cleanup costs.
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has since sought compensation of Rs 1 crore, citing extensive cleanup work in its 12 areas.
“A major issue discussed at the meeting was damage to public property during the elections, which gave rise to court orders,” a DU official said on condition of anonymity.
“We are exploring reform measures to address these issues, but they are still in the review stage and further meetings will be needed to formulate clear policies,” the official added.
The Lyngdoh Committee’s guidelines, aimed at ensuring fair and responsible conduct of student elections, limit campaign expenditure to Rs 5,000 per candidate. However, candidates often flout this rule by using high-end cars, oversized banners and expensive promotional materials, defeating the purpose of the guidelines.
The University of Turin campus was awash with printed posters and banners during this year’s election, despite rules strictly prohibiting such material.
To address these issues, DU plans to step up rule enforcement and is expected to submit a report to the court on November 11, when the court will hear the matter.
DUSU election results have been on hold for more than a month due to a court order requiring the defacement to be removed before the results can be announced. This is the first time results have been delayed.
The election was held on September 27, and the results were originally scheduled to be announced on September 28.
