New Delhi, September 24, 2023 – The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) Elections 2023 is witnessing a heated contest among nominated candidates from ABVP, NSUI, AISA, and SFI, all passionately addressing critical student concerns.
In a dramatic turn of events, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has surged ahead in all four central panel positions of the DUSU elections, based on official statistics after 16 rounds of counting.
This election, which has generated immense excitement among the university’s student body, is historically marked by the ABVP and NSUI’s head-to-head rivalry.
With a total of twenty-four candidates vying for various positions, these elections signify a resumption of the democratic process at Delhi University after a hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to the cancellation of elections in 2020 and 2021.
Chander Shekhar, serving as the chief election officer, reported a 42 percent voter turnout at the university, with approximately one lakh students eligible to cast their ballots.
The central panel election utilized Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) across 52 colleges and departments, while college union polls employed paper ballots. Crucial issues addressed by students encompassed tuition fee hikes, affordable accommodation, enhanced security during college festivals, and advocating for menstrual leave.
Notably, various student organizations, including ABVP, NSUI, Students’ Federation of India (SFI), and All India Students’ Association (AISA), fielded candidates for all four central panel positions, with ABVP securing three out of four seats in the 2019 elections.
After 12 rounds of vote counting, the current standings are as follows:
- Tushar Dedha of ABVP leads with a substantial margin of 3,000 votes.
- Sushant Dhankar from ABVP maintains a lead of 1,200 votes for the vice-president position.
- Aprajita, an ABVP candidate, is in the lead for the secretary role with an impressive 5,500-vote margin.
- Sachin Baisla, also from ABVP, commands the lead with a remarkable 7,000 votes.
As the counting process continues in the conference hall, restricted to authorized personnel only, ABVP supporters gather with enthusiasm. The university campus has witnessed significant police deployment to ensure security and order during this crucial electoral process.
Stay tuned for further updates on this dynamic DUSU election as the results unfold.