DUSU polls 2024: Campaign posters resurface despite warnings; candidates given 24-hour ultimatum

NEW DELHI: Campaign posters and banners continue to cover the walls of Delhi University campuses, despite a 24-hour ultimatum issued by the chief election officer given a day earlier directing candidates to remove the printed material. A spot check of Delhi University's North and South campuses revealed not only were the walls lined with campaign material but also roads were littered with pamphlets in hues of white, red, and blue.

On Monday, the chief election officer for the 2024-25 DUSU elections issued notices to all candidates, instructing them to remove posters and banners featuring their names and ballot numbers from university premises within 24 hours. The notification also emphasised that candidates are only permitted to use the designated "Walls of Democracy" for pasting handmade posters.

However, enforcement of these rules appeared lacking on the ground. The display of printed posters and banners violates norms established by the Lyngdoh Committee, which governs student elections. "We are keeping a close vigil on any violations of election rules. Notices were issued yesterday, and we are in the process of identifying violators. Appropriate action will be taken soon," Chief Election Officer Satyapal Singh told PTI.

Defacement of property is also prohibited under the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007. Despite this, campaign material continues resurfacing with a traffic constable noting that over 50 challans are issued daily. "MCD workers remove the posters and banners, but by night, students hang them up again," he said.

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The constable also pointed out that convoys of cars during campaign rallies cause significant traffic jams, making it difficult to manage the area. A DU student expressed concerns over the aggressive campaign tactics of parties like the ABVP and NSUI, saying party workers often enter libraries and classrooms to distribute pamphlets.

"There’s a lot of paper wastage, which is concerning. They distribute chits asking us to vote for their candidates, but I feel they could easily communicate this orally instead of disrupting classes," the student said. However, an NSUI supporter said that candidates intentionally misspelt their names on pamphlets and banners to evade detection by authorities.

Poll violations are not new to Delhi University elections. In 2017, the National Green Tribunal ordered DU to rusticate students found defacing walls with posters and imposed fines. However, despite these past interventions, election-related defacement and paper waste remain rampant every year.