New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS): The Delhi High Court on Thursday agreed to examine a plea alleging “manipulation” in Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) Executive Committee polls.

Issuing a notice, a Bench of Justice Jyoti Singh sought responses of Delhi University, its Chief Election Officer, Election Officer DUSU Executive Committee, and other respondents on a plea filed by Mustafa Ali, a second year student in South Campus’ Department of Finance and Business Economics.

In his petition, Mustafa Ali, an elected Central Councillor from the South Delhi Campus, contended that a “manipulated, illegal and arbitrary” voter list was created by the Election Officer for the benefit of certain candidates in the DUSU Executive Committee elections.

“It is a matter of fact that no elections were conducted by Respondent No. 3 (Department of Buddhist) for the Post of President and Central Councillor and hence these seats were vacant. [T]he Department in its own statement denies its membership with DUSU and on the other hand is illegally nominating members for the DUSU Central Council which are affecting the Executive Council elections,” stated the petition.

The plea questioned the nomination of two students as President and Central Councillor just a few hours before the elections for the DUSU Executive Committee 2024-2025, adding that the “intention of the University of Delhi and Department of Buddhist was clear from their actions, they wanted to manipulate the election results”.

“It is submitted that on 21/12/2024 the voter list for DUSU Executive Committee 2024-2025 was published by the University of Delhi on its website, in this voter list there were 146 voters (No member from the Department of Buddhist). The last date for filing nomination was 23/12/2024 and the final candidates’ list was published on 24/12/2024 by the election officer. It is submitted here that just 2 days before the date of the election a new voter list for DUSU Executive Committee Election 2024-2025 was published by the Election Officer containing 148 votes (including the President and Central Councillor from the Department of Buddhist) in the late evening of 26/12/2024,” stated the plea, filed through advocate Ashu Bidhuri.

It added that the petitioner regularly gave his representations to the authorities before and after the date of voting but no action has been taken till now and the authorities failed to address the grievances raised.

As per the petition, after completion of the DUSU polls, the varsity further conducts elections for the Executive Committee as mandated by the Delhi University Student Union Constitution.

“All the members of the DUSU central council (Elected President and Central Councillors from each college/department) are eligible to vote and contest elections for the DUSU Executive Committee elections,” it said.