A plea filed by five disqualified Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) poll candidates from National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) was dismissed by the Delhi High Court on Tuesday.

Stating that the chief election officer had taken the decision in accordance with the rules, justice Sanjeev Khanna rejected the plea filed by Deepak Negi and Umesh Tomar of NSUI and Rohit Chahal, Lalit Kumar and Ashok Khare of ABVP. Negi and Chahal were candidates for president’s post. While Tomar was aiming for vice-president, Kumar was a candidate for post of secretary and Khare for joint secretary.

Justice Khanna dismissed the petitions of the five candidates saying the decision to disqualify them from contesting the poll was taken by following an appropriate procedure. “I do not think principles of natural justice have been violated,” Justice Khanna said. “The university, before taking any action, had issued showcause notices.”

As per the allegations, their candidature was cancelled after the five were found spending more money than the fixed amount of Rs 5,000 each, using cars and organising rallies for their election campaigns which was against the former chief election commissioner J M Lyngdoh’s recommendations.

With the candidature of NSUI and ABVP members for the post of the DUSU president being cancelled on Friday, for the first time since 1991 it looks like the union will have a non-NSUI, non-ABVP president. This could also be true for the post of joint secretary if Rahul Mathur of NSUI, who was served a showcause notice on Saturday, fails to satisfy the university authorities with his explanation.

The smaller students’ organisations aiming to make a mark in the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections are rubbing their hands with glee. A day after the university’s chief election officer disqualified five candidates from big guns NSUI and ABVP for violation of election code, these fringe players in Delhi University student politics now feel they are in with a real chance.

Among those disqualified are

ABVP

* Rohit Chahal (president candidate)

* Lalit Chaudhry (general secretary)

* Ashok Khari (jt secretary)

NSUI

* Deepak Negi (president)

* Umesh Tanwar (vice-president candidate)

The disqualifications have made the likes of Students’ Federation of India (SFI), All India Students’ Association (AISA), Ambedkar Students’ Organisation of India (ASOI), Indian National Students’ Organisation (INSO) and Disha Student Organisation look at the September 4 elections with hopes of breaking the NSUI-ABVP monopoly in DUSU.

The Delhi University (DU) authorities are launching a website to enable the candidates contesting for DUSU elections as well as the college students union polls to put across their views. The candidates can upload their propaganda on the website to be hosted by the DU Computer Centre.

Besides the website, candidates will also be allotted a fixed time on DU Community Radio 100.4 for campaigning. The time slot and order shall be decided by draw of lots in the presence of contesting candidates, whose list shall be put up on August 27.

Informing this, chief election officer Gurmeet Singh, who is also chief proctor of DU, issued the code of conduct to be followed during the varsity elections.

According to the 22-point code of conduct which will be effective from August 27 till the election results are declared the maximum permitted expenditure per candidate has been fixed at Rs 5,000. Each candidate will have to submit complete and audited accounts to the college/university authorities within two weeks of result declaration.

No canvassing shall be allowed in hostels of the university and colleges after 10.00pm on any day and no candidate shall be permitted to make use of printed posters, pamphlets or any other printed material for canvassing.

The elections are scheduled to be held on September 4.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) on Saturday wrested the president’s post of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) from National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) after six years. However, NSUI managed to retain the other important posts of vice-president, secretary and joint secretary.

Defeating her NSUI rival Sonia Sapra of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, ABVP’s Nupur Sharma of Law Centre-1 won the coveted seat by a close margin of 1,739 votes. Sharma polled 10,345 votes, while Sapra managed 8,606.

For the secretary’s post, Amit Choudhary of NSUI managed to defeat his nearest rival, ABVP’s Anupriya Yadav, by 611 votes.
For the vice-president’s position, Manohar Naagar, with 8,804 votes, defeated ABVP’s Vasu Rukhar by 848 votes.

Ashish Gahlot of NSUI had a smooth sailing over his ABVP rival, Mukesh Kumar, registering a win with 3,830 votes for the joint secretary seat.

Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections are back with a bang! The stage is all set for the biggest fight on campus. Although, the elections are likely to be held in about a month’s time, one can feel the buzz begin.
The DUSU elections are no longer held keeping in mind the welfare of the students but make up for the battlefield between the topmost political parties of the nation. It is now said that the elections take place between the Bhartiya Janta Party and the Congress Party. On one hand stands Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) backed by Bhartiya Janta Party and on the other hand stands the National Student’s Union of India (NSUI) backed by the Congress Party.

The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections will be conducted on September 5, 2008 in 51 affiliated colleges of the varsity under new guidelines formed by the Supreme Court.

Tording to the code of conduct defined by the Supreme Court for DUSU elections this year, the expenditure limit for each candidate is Rs.5,000 as against Rs.10,000 last year.

The age limit for candidates has been fixed at 17 to 22 years at the undergraduate level and 25 years at the postgraduate level.

Students, who have contested earlier and who have previous criminal records, will not be allowed to contest the elections this year.

Further, no printed poster and banner will be allowed during campaigning. Candidates can only use hand-made posters and pamphlets.

Details of DUSU elections schedule

Prof.Gurmeet Singh,Department of Chemistry-Chief Election Officer
Prof.J.M.Khurana,Department of Chemistry-Cief Returning Officer
Dr.Rajesh Tandon,Department of Botany-Additional Returning Officer

Last Date for reciept of Nomination Papers : Friday the 22nd August,2008 upto 3.00 p.m.

Scrutiny of Nomination Papers : Friday the 22nd August,2008 upto 3.00 p.m.

Publication of list of duly Nominated Candidates : Friday the 22nd August,2008 upto 5.00 p.m.

Submission of Bank Draft as Security Deposit by duly Nominated Candidates : Saturday the 22nd August,2008 upto 3.00 p.m.

Last Date for Withdrawal of Nominations : Monday,the 25th August,2008 upto 12.00 Noon

Publication of final list of Candidates : Monday,the 25th August,2008 upto 4p.m.

Date of Election : Friday,the 5th September,2008

Timings of Voting : Day Classes       :  8.30a.m. to 12.30a.m.
Evening Classes : 4.00p.m. to 08.00p.m.