The rhythmic sounds of Indian drums, intermingled with car horns and occasional sirens, echoed through the campus air as the University of Delhi prepared for the upcoming Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections scheduled for September 22. The DU campus election mood is a different story altogether.
Sea of students, many atop a cavalcade of cars marched for the election campaigning with banners pronouncing their prospective candidates’ names, while fireworks lighting up the vicinity of college entrances, and printed campaign posters adorning the streets of North Campus. Furthermore, various walls across DU’s North Campus bore marks of defacement, covered in candidate names and campaign posters since the DU campus election campaign began.
Dr. Geeta Sahare, Joint-Proctor, who is also member of the Election Committee, while discussing the challenges told that conducting elections after three years has been a hurdle. “Students are not aware about the election process,” said Sahare.
She also expressed concern over influence of political parties in the campaigning process. Despite imposing restrictions, Sahare told that student groups are receiving support from them in terms of money and power.
Taking place after a three-year gap, elections for the four-member Delhi University Student Union are finally taking place as the previous years saw continuous postponements due to the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the schedule, the deadline for submitting nominations for the elections is set for September 14. Voting is scheduled for September 22, with morning students able to vote from 8:30 am to 1 pm, and evening college students from 3 pm to 7 pm.