Delhi HC halts counting of votes till defacement of property removed

The Delhi High Court on Thursday halted the counting of votes of DUSU elections, which are scheduled on Friday, till all the defacement material, including posters, hoarding and graffiti, is removed and public property is restored.

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A bench of Chief Justice-designate Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said the elections process may proceed but the counting of votes will not take place till the court is satisfied that defacement of property has been removed.

"This court directs that the elections process may proceed yet no counting of votes shall take place either on Delhi University (Students' Union) elections or on college elections till this court is satisfied that posters, hoardings, graffiti, spray paints are removed and public property is restored," the bench said.

It directed the varsity to file a fresh status report and to ensure that EVMs and ballot boxes, to be used in the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections, are kept secured in a safe place till further orders.

The court also directed the Delhi University to pay the expenses incurred by the civic authorities, including MCD and Delhi Metro, in removing the defacement and added that the varsity may recover the amount from the candidates thereafter.