Delhi University election marred by spending rule violations

The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) election for 2026 has laid bare repeated breaches of campaign spending rules, as candidates systematically exceeded the ₹5,000 limit through mass-produced materials and lavish outreach tactics. Posters designed to mimic handwritten notes were actually mass-produced prints on low-quality paper. Local printing shops told Newslaundry that the materials were created by scanning handwritten notes and reproducing them cheaply, costing approximately ₹1,200 for 2,000 copies, with lower-grade variants available for just ₹300 to ₹400 per bundle of 1,000 sheets.

Meanwhile, rallies deployed hired vehicles, including Defenders and Scorpios, despite clear prohibitions under the Supreme Court’s Lyngdoh Committee directives, which ban all such expenditures. The violations extended to extravagant outreach activities, including food distributions, gifts, and sponsored trips, all of which violated the ₹5,000 cap. The existing guidelines, in effect since 2005, explicitly forbid printed materials, loudspeaker use, and vehicle deployments, while also holding candidates financially responsible for defacing public property. This year’s election, however, saw widespread disregard for these rules.

Legal challenges now threaten the election’s validity, as the Delhi High Court agreed on September 17 to hear a plea addressing the widespread violations of the Lyngdoh guidelines and anti-defacement rules, casting a shadow of legal scrutiny over the ongoing election process. Preliminary vote tallies place ABVP’s Yash Dabas in the lead with 1,305 votes out of the 3,270 counted so far, ahead of NSUI’s Vijay Shankar Meena, who has secured 1,191 votes. The Left alliance’s Ananya Raturi trails significantly with 288 votes, though the counting process remains unfinished. Student welfare emerged as the defining issue in this election, particularly after a hostel building collapse claimed seven lives earlier this month.

Concerns over campus safety and accommodation shortages have overshadowed earlier disputes, such as protests against NEET examination leaks and broader exam reforms spearheaded by groups like the Cockroach Janta Party. The election’s results will determine the composition of DUSU’s central panel for the 2026-27 academic session, with ABVP, NSUI, and the Left alliance vying for dominance in India’s largest student body. Security measures remain stringent, with over 2,000 police and paramilitary personnel stationed across campuses to ensure order. Traffic restrictions and coordinated checkpoints will persist until the final vote counts are confirmed.