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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
DUSU office vandalised by unidentified men, student wings trade barbs
Ahead of the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) election, which is scheduled for next month, its office was vandalised on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. According to Delhi University officials, a group of 20 to 25 unidentified men forced their way into the DUSU building, after allegedly kicking open the main gate and thrashing the guards who tried to stop them. 'They spoke to the guards in an arrogant manner,' said Prof Rajni Abbi, Director of the South Campus. 'The police are investigating the matter, and based on the outcome of the probe, we will take action against those responsible,' she added. The incident has once again sharpened the rivalry between the two dominant student groups — the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) — with one accusing the other of orchestrating the violence. Holding the ABVP responsible, outgoing DUSU president Ronak Khatri told The Indian Express, 'It is a clear attempt by the ABVP to intimidate…' Meanwhile,ABVP member Rishabh Chaudhary said 'I had a couple of days ago held Khatri responsible and shared that he had not done any work in the past year… he himself must have orchestrated this vandalism.' The office of then DUSU president Tushar Dedha was demolished in a similar manner last year, forcing the university to spend nearly Rs 22 lakh on renovations. On Tuesday morning, as the tenure of the DUSU executive for 2024–25 formally ended, university officials sealed the vandalised office, which will now only be reopened once the new representatives are elected.
New Indian Express
14-08-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
DUSU polls on Sept 18, Rs 1 lakh bond sparks protests
NEW DELHI: The Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections will be held on September 18, with vote counting scheduled for the following day, the university announced on Wednesday. Voting for day classes will take place from 8:30 am to 1 pm, while evening class students will cast their votes between 3 pm and 7:30 pm. According to DU's notification, the last date to submit nomination papers—along with a Rs 500 annual fee and a Rs 1 lakh bond—is September 10 by 3 pm. Scrutiny of papers will follow the same day, with the final list of candidates out by September 11 at 5 pm. Nomination papers for DUSU posts must be submitted at the Conference Centre, North Campus, while those contesting for Central Council seats must file them at their respective colleges. The university's new guideline mandating a Rs 1 lakh bond has drawn sharp criticism from student bodies. NSUI leader and current DUSU president Ronak Khatri called the bond 'discriminatory,' arguing that it excludes students from lower-income backgrounds. ABVP's Delhi Secretary Sarthak Sharma echoed the sentiment, warning of mass protests if the rule isn't revoked. 'We've submitted a memorandum to the Registrar demanding a rollback,' he said. AISA national president Neha hinted at a possible Left alliance to counter the ABVP.
The Print
09-08-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Student outfits express concern over DU's Rs 1 lakh bond rule for DUSU poll candidates
'Someone from a lower-income background may not be able to afford the Rs 1 lakh bond required for nomination, which could prevent them from participating despite their willingness,' Khatri told PTI. DUSU president Ronak Khatri said the guideline is not suitable for students, especially those from economically weaker sections. New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI) Student organisations on Friday raised objections to a new guideline issued by the Delhi University requiring a bond of Rs 1 lakh from candidates filing nominations for the upcoming DUSU elections, calling it 'unaffordable' and 'exclusionary' for students from underprivileged backgrounds. He said that if the university wishes to penalise students for defacement or other violations, it should impose a direct fine on the individual responsible, instead of implementing such a blanket condition. 'The guideline should be equal for students and student organisations, whether it is NSUI, ABVP or AISA. If a student is fined, the party should also be held accountable,' he said. ABVP national secretary Sarthak Sharma also echoed concerns over the high bond amount. 'We welcome the guidelines, but we oppose the provision that requires students to submit a ₹1 lakh bond. It is not convenient for students to pay such a huge amount. We will soon release our own guideline in response to this,' he said. AISA president Nitish Kumar supported the intent behind the rules but questioned the efficacy of monetary conditions in curbing electoral malpractice. 'We welcome rules that aim to ensure transparency and reduce malpractice. However, merely depositing a bond of one lakh rupees cannot prevent the misuse of money power. In campuses like JNU, elections are conducted without the use of money,' he said. He added that during a joint proctor's meeting, AISA had also demanded college-level presidential debates to democratise the election process, but the administration did not respond. 'The volume of money power used in DUSU can only be curbed by placing stakeholders in a more informed position,' he said. The Delhi University on Friday mandated that every contesting candidate must submit a bond of Rs 1 lakh while filing nominations. The amount will be forfeited if the candidate or their supporters are found defacing public property, according to the advisory issued by DU Registrar Vikas Gupta. The university's directive, based on legal provisions, court orders, and Lyngdoh Committee recommendations, aims to curb defacement and promote responsible campaigning. It includes a range of measures, such as an anti-defacement affidavit at admission, promotion of campus debates, and the use of electronic media for campaigning. The guideline bars the use of loudspeakers, rallies, and roadshows outside designated 'walls of democracy'. Violations may attract a fine of Rs 25,000, suspension, rustication, or even disqualification. The Delhi High Court had last year stayed the vote counting of DUSU polls citing widespread defacement. It later allowed the counting to proceed after students complied with the court's directions to clean the campus. PTI SHB HIG HIG This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
NDTV
08-08-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Delhi University Issues Guidelines To Curb Defacement Ahead Of Student Union Polls
New Delhi: The University of Delhi on Friday issued guidelines for the upcoming DUSU polls, mandating a bond of Rs 1 lakh from candidates and banning the use of posters, wall writing, rallies, loudspeakers, and roadshows on the varsity campus. The move comes nearly a year after the Delhi Court criticised the university over defacement of the campus during the students' union elections and stalled the results until defacement material, including posters, hoardings, and graffiti, was removed from public property. The advisory was issued by DU Registrar Vikas Gupta, calling for strict compliance from students, colleges, and university departments. It is based on various legal provisions, court orders, and recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee. Speaking on the guideline, DUSU president Ronak Khatri said, "The guideline is not suitable for students, as someone from a lower-income background may not be able to afford the Rs 1 lakh bond required for nomination, which could prevent them from participating despite their willingness." To discourage defacement, the University has mandated that every contesting candidate submit a bond of Rs 1 lakh while filing nominations. This amount will be liable for forfeiture if the candidate or their supporters are found violating defacement norms, it added. In a bid to sensitise students early on, the University has proposed introducing an "anti-defacement affidavit," similar to the anti-ragging affidavit, to be submitted at the time of admission. According to the guidelines, colleges and departments have been directed to conduct awareness programmes to encourage students to maintain decorum on campus during the election season. Colleges should promote and organise debates for candidates contesting the student elections, which may be uploaded on the respective websites, the guidelines read. Colleges have also been asked to increase the size of the "walls of democracy" at two locations dedicated to putting up poll-related material, it stated. Outside these designated areas, the use of posters, wall writing, rallies, loudspeakers, and roadshows has been strictly prohibited, it added. As per the guidelines, candidates have also 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. "Failing to do so may invite a fine of Rs 25,000, suspension, rustication, or even disqualification from contesting elections," it stated. It further mentioned that a dedicated portal to report defacement and raise awareness on related issues will also be launched by the University and affiliated colleges. Use of electronic media for campaigning is allowed, and colleges have been encouraged to host debates between candidates, which may be uploaded on official websites for wider viewing, the guidelines said. The University has made it clear that the use of dhols, loudspeakers, and similar equipment is banned in and around campus premises, even after the elections are over. Additionally, entry of outsiders has been restricted, and colleges have been asked to consider installing biometric or facial recognition systems for access control. "A committee at both college and university levels will be set up to monitor defacement and implement preventive steps. Details of these committees will be displayed on notice boards and websites," it read. The guidelines also clarify that a student's name, as mentioned in their secondary and senior secondary certificates, will be considered for admissions and DUSU nominations. Any changes in name after admission must follow government procedures and receive University approval. Further, DUSU office-bearers will only be allowed to book three venues — Conference Centre, Shankar Lal Hall, and Room No. 22 in Arts Faculty — for official programmes, with prior approval. "They are barred from booking rooms in university guest houses or hostels; any violation may lead to disciplinary action, including rustication," it stated. The University said these guidelines must be read in conjunction with existing laws, including the Metro Rail Act, the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, relevant University ordinances, and orders from the High Court of Delhi and the National Green Tribunal. The Delhi High Court in September 2024 stalled the counting of votes scheduled for September 28 and asked for removal of defacement material, including posters, hoardings, and graffiti, and restoration of public property. Later, on November 11, the court permitted the varsity to start vote counting of its student union elections subject to its satisfaction over campus cleaning measures by students. PTI SHB HIG
Indian Express
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Cancellations, glitches, wrong exam centre: Here's why SSC aspirants are protesting in Delhi
Massive disruptions during the Staff Selection Commission's (SSC) Selection Post Phase 13 examination have triggered a wave of protests across Delhi this week, bringing thousands of aspirants to the streets and also resulting in a strong backlash on social media. The aspirants protested at Jantar Mantar and the CGO Complex, demanding accountability from one of India's largest recruitment bodies, following complaints of technical glitches and exam-day confusion. They have sought a complete review of the examination process, a rollback or reassessment of the vendor contract, and an independent investigation into the failures. Held between July 24 and August 1, the computer-based Phase 13 examination process was allegedly marred by abrupt cancellations, software crashes, biometric verification failures, and incorrect exam centre allotments. Many candidates who had travelled long distances at their own expense to their examination centres were disappointed to note that their exams had been cancelled without prior notice. The alleged mismanagement is largely attributed to a recent change in the Commission's exam vendor. The protesters alleged that the new vendor lacked the experience and technical capacity to manage large-scale recruitment drives. 'The vendor's failure to smoothly conduct even an examination like Phase 13 has intensified concerns,' said Ronak Khatri, president of Delhi University Students Union, who was among the agitators on Saturday. Khatri told The Indian Express, 'I was there at the protest to raise issues of the students. The exam centres were away, several students missed their exams and there were several technical glitches which did not allow students to perform to their best.' Anger has spilled onto social media, with hashtags like #SSCMisManagement, #SSCSystemSudharo, and #JusticeForAspirants trending nationally. Students have shared images and videos from test centres and protest sites, highlighting instances of mismanagement and alleged mistreatment by security staff. The crisis escalated with the emergence of viral clips showing clashes between students and officials at some centres. In several locations, aspirants claimed they were manhandled or removed from premises for questioning procedural lapses. Aspirants and educators gathered this week in large numbers in New Delhi under the banner of a 'Delhi Chalo' campaign, raising a call for systemic reform. The protests took a more serious turn after reports emerged of police action at the demonstration sites. Students alleged that security personnel resorted to lathi charges to disperse crowds, leading to further outrage and condemnation online. The present crisis has also raised concerns among the aspirants of SSC Combined Graduate Level (CGL) exam scheduled to begin on August 13.
