New Delhi: This year’s Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) elections came to a close on September 27 amid concerns over voter turnout and campaigning tactics.
After a month of intense election campaigning, students at Delhi University finally cast their votes Friday. Through the morning and evening sessions of classes, members from various parties were stationed across colleges, urging students to support their respective candidates.
For instance, at Miranda House on the north campus, members of both the main parties—the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP)—were spotted encouraging students to vote for them, with the ABVP members chanting “Ballot No. 4-3-2-1” and raising slogans outside the Faculty of Arts building.
On Thursday, though the Delhi High Court allowed voting in the DUSU elections to continue, it postponed the counting of votes till 21 October, following concerns over the defacement of public property during campaigning.
“No counting of votes shall take place either for the DU (Students’ Union) elections or college elections till the court is satisfied that posters, hoardings, graffiti, and spray paints are removed and public property is restored,” a bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said.
The court further instructed Delhi University to cover the costs incurred by civic authorities, including the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Metro, for the restoration of the defaced property. The university was given the option to recover these expenses from the candidates responsible.
In the meantime, the university has instructed colleges to create secure rooms for the storage of ballot boxes.
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Chocolates, makeup & free alcohol for voters
The various parties contesting in the DUSU elections employed a range of incentives to persuade students to vote for them.
A second-year BA student from Satyawati College, who asked not to be named, allleged that the parties frequently visited hostels and postgraduate (PG) accommodations, offering bribes such as alcohol, chocolates, movie tickets, water park passes, and even makeup in exchange for votes.
He noted, “Usually, students accept these incentives and end up voting for the respective candidates.”
A 23-year-old law student recounted an unusual offer he received: a chocolate wrapped with a party sticker featuring the candidate’s name.
“If you vote for that particular candidate, you could take the sticker to an alcohol shop and claim a free drink,” he explained.
A second-year BCom student from Khalsa College acknowledged that party members approached her with chocolates and requests for votes, but she believed most students wouldn’t feel obligated to vote as directed.
“Honestly, no one follows through with that. People will take whatever is offered, but they’ll vote according to their own preferences,” she said.
Parties also tried to ensure student turnout by arranging transportation from various PG accommodations to the colleges. A second-year BA student from Satyawati College revealed that parties frequently dispatched cars to local PGs, aiming to transport as many students as possible to polling stations.
“They continuously send vehicles to pick students up and take them to their colleges so that they can vote for their candidates,” he explained.
Low voter turnout?
Despite the aggressive campaigning, parties and students felt that this year’s DUSU elections saw a lower voter turnout compared to previous years.
For instance, Miranda House reported a turnout of approximately 21 percent, Dayal Singh Evening College of 17 percent, Hansraj College of 32 percent, and Sri Ram College of Commerce of percent 37 percent, according to data collected by the parties. The final voter data will only be available once the votes are counted.
Students suggested the lack of classes Friday, followed by the weekend, contributed to student absenteeism.
One third-year BSc student from Khalsa College who voted said, “The requirement to show not just ID cards but also fee slips, along with the restriction on bringing phones inside, makes the process feel overly complicated. This has definitely contributed to the low turnout.”
A third-year BCom student from Hindu College remarked, “Honestly, the low turnout can be attributed to the fact that freshers are neither aware enough, nor interested, as the campaigning was more chaotic than informative. Meanwhile, second- and third-year students have largely given up, believing the elections won’t lead to any real change.”
This sentiment was echoed by many students, who expressed indifference towards the DUSU elections, feeling that the Student Union had failed to address their concerns effectively.
The atmosphere at these elections could suggest a growing disconnect between the student body and the union, which could have implications for the future of student engagement in such the electoral process, however only time will tell.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
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