A delegation from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) met with the recently appointed Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) 2017 election committee and proposed steps to ensure maximum participation of students in the DUSU election.
They demanded that the entire election and counting process be conducted in a transparent manner. They added that votes polled for DUSU in every college of DU should also be declared after counting so that there is no room for ambiguity.
They also proposed a meeting of all student organisations taking part in the elections to seek their suggestions and co-operation during the elections to ensure greater participation.
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Awareness drive
The ABVP suggested that the university run an awareness drive to motivate students to exercise their right to elect. “DUSU is a festival of democracy and for some voters, it is their first chance to exercise their franchise. To cultivate responsible citizens, it is the duty of the university to ensure maximum participation,” said the students. The ABVP proposed that attendance benefit be given to students who come to vote in DUSU polls.
The ABVP national media convenor said they pressed upon the university to allocate at least one “wall of democracy” in every college, where candidates should be allowed to put up handmade posters by following the Lyngdoh Committee recommendation that no printed material be used for the elections.
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Hold drills
The party added that a selection committee had been constituted to select official candidates of the organisation. The panel comprises State president Avnish Mittal, national executive council member Manu Kataria, national secretary Monika Chaudhary, State secretary Bharat Khatana, State organising secretary Ajay Thakur, State joint secretary Abhishek Verma and outgoing DUSU president Amit Tanwar.
VVPAT machines
The National Students’ Union of India also submitted a memorandum to DU’s Chief Election Officer demanding process reforms in DUSU polls. They demanded drills on all EVMs, installation of VVPAT machines, and appointment of party polling agents to ensure fair DUSU elections. Appealing to student organisations against littering the campus, students from Kirori Mal College and Ram Lal Anand College put notices on social media pledging that they will not vote for individuals or parties that defaces colleges or public property with posters.