A students' union election is set to take place at Delhi University in September, marking the end of a three-year hiatus, according to a university official. The previous elections for the students' bodies occurred in 2019, as stated in a report by PTI.
It was not held in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19 while possible disruptions to the academic calendar prevented their conduct in 2022. Student groups made several representations to the varsity officials demanding the resumption of the election exercise as many elected representatives have left the university after completing their studies.
Announcing the elections, a senior varsity official told PTI on Monday, March 27, "We are planning to hold the elections in September. We are very hopeful that the election will be conducted later this year."
What is DSDU?
The Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) is the main representative body of students from most colleges and faculties. This apart, each college has its own students' union, elections to which are held annually. DSDU elections are held via direct voting by students of the varsity and member colleges. They are usually conducted in August-September.
The elections to the varsity's student body are organised simultaneously with polls at the college level. Nearly 2,500 students contest the elections for the nearly 500 posts. And around a lakh students vote in the elections, which also acts as a stepping stone for budding politicians.
Students react
Praising the varsity's move to conduct the elections, DUSU president Akshit Dahiya said, "This is a mini democracy. I would say the biggest student body election in the world. It is a constructive practice." Further, he added that "The last elections were held in September 2019. The elections could not take place last year as the admission for graduate and postgraduate programmes started late and then there were examinations."
To note, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) backed candidate Dahiya was elected president, Pradeep Tanwar vice-president and Shinvangi Kharwal joint secretary of the students' union in the 2019 elections. And the National Students' Union of India's (NSUI) Ashish Lamba was elected secretary, as stated in a report by PTI.
Commenting on the varsity's move, Dahiya said the ABVP had made several representations to the university officials and also held protests to demand elections. "We demanded that the academic calendar be brought on track so that elections could be held. The university officials have given us assurances," he added.
The ABVP is hopeful and confident that their presence and involvement in the admission process and other events would help them win this year's elections as well. "Unlike the other students' groups that become active during the elections, ours is different. We engage with the students throughout the year and help them in whatever way possible. So the students know who works for them and who does not," Dahiya said.
While RSS-affiliated ABVP and Congress-affiliated NSUI have been major players in varsity politics for years, leftwing students organisation affiliated to the Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) Liberation, All Indian Students' Association (AISA) has also been upfront at several protest movements.
Lauding the varsity's move, AISA's Delhi unit president Abhigyan told PTI, "I hope it would be a free and fair election and the university will work on making it more democratic by curbing the excessive use of money." He said the organisation hoped to perform well in the elections."Before 2014, the NSUI and the ABVP were the main groups but we have been working with the students and led several movements (since then)," he added.
