Chief Election Officer Chander Shekhar announced that approximately 600 EVMs machines have been strategically deployed within different colleges across campuses, in collaboration with police, technical experts, and university officials.
The DUSU Elections are held after a 3-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the total national lockdown on 22nd September 2023. Various college authorities and DU students are preparing for the DUSU elections poll on Thursday.
“We have sought the help of the police and the barricading will be done in all sensitive points… Delhi Police will be on the campus but will not enter colleges until and unless something serious happens” said Delhi University Proctor Rajni Abbi as quoted by the Indian Express.
The polling for DUSU positions is set to occur between 8:30 am and 1:00 pm for day course students and from 3:00 pm to 7:30 pm for evening classes. In addition, the vote counting will be conducted on Saturday, September 23rd through the EVMs placed across campuses.
Discussing security arrangements, DCP (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi stated, “Security measures have been enhanced. Additional forces have been stationed on the ground, including paramilitary personnel. Continuous foot patrols are being carried out. We have formed 29 bike patrol teams for a swift response” as quoted by the Quint.
He also mentioned the establishment of mobile police stations for prompt intervention, including the deployment of water cannons, anti-riot vehicles and EVMs placed across campuses.
Key Candidates Battling for President’s Post
The prominent contenders in the election comprise the RSS-supported Akhil Bharatiya Vishwa Parishad (ABVP), the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) affiliated with Congress, the left-aligned All India Students Association (AISA), and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI).
Among these groups, four primary aspirants are vying for the position of president:
- ABVP’s Tushar Dedha
- AISA’s Ayesha Ahmad Khan
- NSUI’s Hitesh Gulia
- SFI’s Arif Siddiqui
In the most recent four elections, the competition for positions in DUSU has consistently involved the ABVP and NSUI. The ABVP secured the president’s position in 2016, 2018, and 2019, whereas the NSUI emerged victorious in 2017.
To know about the Dynamics and Trends of DUSU Elections, click here to read our article now.
Proper Arrangements Made by College Authorities
The principals of several colleges discussed the measures they’ve implemented to ensure a peaceful voting day through the EVMs placed across campuses.
Hindu College Principal Anju Srivastava stated, “We have established four distinct, staggered polling booths to effectively manage the crowd” as highlighted by the Indian Express.
She also mentioned that the college’s current student population exceeds 4000, and they plan to deploy approximately 25 security personnel throughout the college.
At Miranda House College, Principal Bijayalaxmi Nanda reported that they conducted EVMs training sessions and formed a roster committee for teachers.
On Monday, a meeting was chaired by DU VC Yogesh Singh and attended by DUSU Patron, university officials, college principals, hall and hostel provosts, and police officials.
It was organized to assess the pre-election situation and discuss arrangements for the upcoming elections, as outlined in an official statement.
