DUSU 2025 polls: No upfront Rs 1 lakh defacement bond, but third-party verbal surety must

NEW DELHI: Students contesting DUSU election will not be required to deposit Rs 1 lakh as bond against defacement, but must produce a guarantor who can vouch for them and pay the fine in case of infringement, a university official said on Thursday.

Delhi University's Chief Election Officer Prof Raj Kishore Sharma, at a press conference, said the provision was being misunderstood.

"In court, students themselves said they cannot pay Rs 1 lakh , but they would give an affidavit that if they indulge in defacement, they can be fined. Now, if there is an affidavit, there has to be some kind of surety; otherwise, how can the fine be collected? That is why we have asked for a guardian's surety, and anyone can be that, their friends or classmates," Sharma said.

He stressed that the fine would be proportionate and not the entire sum of Rs 1 lakh. "Depending on the violation, it could be Rs 10,000, Rs 20,000 or even less," he said.

Sharma said this year's Delhi University Students' Union election would be "green and clean," conducted strictly in line with the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations. Guidelines have already been circulated among students and organisations, he said.

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To check defacement, the EC has introduced a new reporting form where students and the general public can file complaints, which will be reviewed by a high-level committee. Nine "walls of democracy" have been designated for campaigning, and more will be created.

"Some students are even using dry leaves to write campaign slogans, which is an eco-friendly move," Sharma said. Night patrol, a team of observers, and the Delhi Police would ensure strict compliance. "Observers will also visit student-heavy areas like metro stations. Police are fully active and have already issued challans against unwanted vehicles," he said.

Meanwhile, the All India Students' Association (AISA) has approached the Delhi High Court against the parental surety clause, calling it an "attack on students' autonomy." The DUSU elections for the 2025-26 academic session will be held on September 18, with counting scheduled for the next day.