DU has also banned posters, wall writing, rallies, loudspeakers, and roadshows.
| Photo Credit: File Photo
With the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections on the horizon, Delhi University on Friday issued fresh guidelines that mandate a bond of ₹1 lakh from candidates at the time of filing nominations for any defacement or poll code violation.
“This amount will be liable for forfeiture if the candidate or their supporters are found violating defacement norms,” the university said.
Last year, results were delayed by nearly two months, after the Delhi High Court expressed outrage over the rampant vandalism and defacement of public property across the city by various student outfits.
The advisory, issued by Registrar Vikas Gupta, is based on various legal provisions, court orders, and the recommendations of the J.M. Lyngdoh Committee, which prohibit the defacement of public property and the use of printed posters during student union elections. “The candidates have been instructed to immediately remove any unauthorised posters, especially those with misspelt names aimed at evading accountability, and report such instances to the nearest police station within 24 hours,” the advisory read.
New affidavit
In a bid to sensitise students to the poll code, the university has proposed introducing an ‘anti-defacement affidavit’, similar to the ‘anti-ragging affidavit’, to be submitted to authorities.
The university has asked the colleges to increase the size of the ‘wall of democracy’ for displaying poll-related material. The colleges have also been asked to organise debates, which can be uploaded on websites, the guidelines added. The date of DUSU polls is yet to be announced. The elections are generally held within six to eight weeks from the commencement of the new session.
Published – August 09, 2025 01:44 am IST
