DUSU Polls 2024: MCD to recover over Rs 4.55 lakh from DU for clearing defacement

NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will recover over Rs 4.55 lakh from Delhi University for the costs incurred in removing illegal hoardings, posters, and banners that defaced public property during the recent students’ union elections. According to a status report, the MCD deployed a team of 37 workers and four trucks for 11 days, from September 13 to September 26, a day before the Delhi University Students' Union elections, to clear the defacement in the area.

The report states that the civic body spent Rs 1,53,120 on trucks and Rs 3,01,994 on labour for the cleanup. The court had earlier directed Delhi University to bear the expenses incurred by various authorities, including the MCD, government departments, and Delhi Metro, for restoring public property. The university, in turn, has the right to recover the amount from the candidates responsible for the defacement. However, there was no response from the Delhi University administration on how it plans to recover these costs from the candidates. Similarly, there was no immediate response from the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on an estimate of the costs they incurred for cleaning their property.

Currently, the declaration of the DUSU election results has been stalled by the court until the defacement is fully cleared. The results, originally scheduled for announcement on September 28, are now unlikely to be declared before October 21, when the court is set to hear the matter. When asked if Delhi University plans to appeal to the court for a relaxation in declaring the results, Chief Election Officer Satyapal Singh stated that the administration will comply with the court’s order. "The court stalled the result declaration due to massive violations of election rules by the candidates, resulting in penalties and property damage costs. We will not appeal for an exemption and will wait for the court's hearing on October 21," Singh told PTI.

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The office of the Chief Election Officer had issued multiple notices to the contesting candidates, instructing them to remove prohibited banners and posters and warning them of possible disqualification, he added. Despite these warnings, there was little improvement seen on the ground, even on the day of the vote counting. Till the time the court allows DU to announce the results, the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been kept in a strongroom under security surveillance, as per the university administration.