Students walkING over pamphlets during a campaign for the DUSU election.
| Photo Credit: SHIV KUMAR PUSHPAKAR
The Hindu Bureau
NEW DELHI
Delhi University has issued a stern warning to students ahead of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections, stressing a zero-tolerance policy towards defacement on campus.
At a meeting on Tuesday, the Chief Election Officer and the Proctorial Board informed the DUSU office bearers and student representatives that any form of defacement would not be tolerated.
Last year’s election results were delayed by nearly two months after the Delhi High Court expressed outrage over rampant defacement and vandalism across the city. The DUSU polls have become synonymous with lavish roadshows and widespread littering with pamphlets and posters.
While election dates are yet to be announced, as per Lyngdoh Committee guidelines, the polls should be held six to eight weeks from the start of the academic session. On July 31, the university appointed Professor Raj Kishore Sharma of the Department of Chemistry as the DUSU Chief Election Officer for this year.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the university said: “Candidates must use only handmade posters for campaigning, within the prescribed expenditure limits. Vehicles with tinted glass or missing number plates will be seized immediately.”
‘Wall of democracy’
Student representatives welcomed the directives and assured strict compliance. They also requested the creation of a ‘Wall of Democracy’ in every college for campaign posters, a suggestion the authorities agreed to consider.
An advisory released on July 31 stated that orientation and sensitisation programmes would be held to promote ethical election conduct. Campaign events will be recorded and uploaded on the university website, and a dedicated portal will be launched where students can report violations and access information on the defacement policy.
To curb a recurring malpractice, the university has cracked down on the misspelling of names on posters, a tactic previously used to evade accountability. According to the advisory, if a student’s name, misspelt or otherwise, appears on defaced property and is not reported to the authorities, they will face a fine of ₹25,000 and could also face rustication or disqualification from election. The use of dhols, loudspeakers, roadshows, and campaign vehicles has also been prohibited this year.
Published – August 07, 2025 01:21 am IST
