As DUSU poll campaign steps up, rules flouted

After a gap of four years, the streets around Delhi University colleges wore an all too-familiar look on Monday: Students were seen atop moving cars with posters in their hands, fireworks went off in front of college gates, printed posters dotted the streets throughout north campus, and nearly every inch of walls had the names of candidates spray-painted

- Ashna Butani

Such scenes used to be commonplace every year as campaign for the hotly contested Delhi University's Student Union (DUSU) elections picked up pace a few months into the academic calendar. Such scenes, however, are also emblematic for a problem that has always plagued DUSU polls-flagrant violations of campaigning norms.

With elections taking place after the pandemic-induced gap of three years, officials, organisers and police are apprehensive of the possibility that excitement for the elections will be high, and it will likely mean that campaigning will be emotionally charged with students pushing boundaries of appropriate electioneering.

Experts, however, said this is not the first time such guidelines are being ignored as DU has a notorious history in terms of ignoring electioneering rules.

Professor Chandra Shekhar, the chief election officer for DUSU elections, said the university has reached out to the police in order to take preventive measures. He added additional security personnel are deployed on the ground. Sagar Singh Kalsi, DCP, north Delhi, said, "We are taking a number of steps such as issuing challans for defacement as well as for traffic violations. Because elections are being held after three years, students might be a little too excited this time..."