Today, November 11, the Delhi High Court (HC) allowed Delhi University (DU) to start the counting of votes in its student union elections subjected to its satisfaction over campus cleaning measures by students.
A bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela had stalled the vote counting after it observed large-scale defacement and destruction of the university as well as other public properties. "(The matter is closed) with a direction to DU to undertake the counting process on or before November 26 if it is satisfied that the (remaining) sites are cleaned," said the bench today, Monday, November 11, according to PTI.
The bench said although most colleges and faculties in the north and south campuses were cleaned up by the candidates, photographs showed properties close to the campus with posters and graffiti. Responding to this, the counsel appearing for the candidates assured the removal of any such material from the remaining properties.
The proceedings intended to reform and not punish the students, the bench underscored.
Advocate Prashant Manchanda filed a plea seeking action against the prospective DUSU candidates and student outfits for allegedly damaging, defacing, soiling and destroying public properties.
Poll day
While the polling took place on September 27, the vote counting — scheduled for September 28 — was stalled till all the defacement material, including posters, hoarding and graffiti, was removed and public property restored.
