The Delhi High Court (HC), in an order today, Thursday, September 26 suspended the counting of votes in the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections, which go to polls tomorrow, Friday, September 27.
The court said that the counting would be halted until all defacement, including posters, hoardings, graffiti, and spray paints, is removed and public property is restored, reports PTI.
This order was given by a bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela.
The bench stated the polls could go forward, but the ballots would not be counted until the court was satisfied that the defacement of property had been erased.
During the hearing, the counsel for DU admitted to blatant violations of the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations, which prohibited the distribution of propaganda outside university borders, as well as court rulings, reports Bar and Bench.
The court was informed that DU has asked the errant candidates to remove the hoardings and placards.
“This court directs that the elections process may proceed yet no counting of votes shall take place either on Delhi University elections or on college elections till this court is satisfied that posters, hoardings, graffiti, spray paints are removed and public property is restored,” the bench said.
The bench further added that the candidates can “pay for repainting and restoring the defacement”, as they have “deep pockets” and “financial backing” — terming the latter a “failure of our education system”, Bar and Bench reports
