DUSU elections: Vote percentage surges as excited freshers show up

The students, particularly freshers, were quite enthusiastic to cast their votes and started gathering at the polling stations in the colleges from early in the morning. “In the first half polling held from 8.30 am to 12.30 pm a total of 44 per cent students used their voting rights,” said D S Rawat, Election Officer of Delhi University.

The second half polling started at 3 pm and ended at 7 <g data-gr-id="27">pm</g> but the final poll per cent was not out till late night. The main issues which dominated this year’s DUSU polls were right to accommodation, roll back of Choice Based Credit System (CBCS), women security and transport problems faced by the students of the varsity. Over 1 <g data-gr-id="25">lakh</g> students were eligible to cast their votes in the DUSU polls for the four posts-president, vice-president, secretary and joint secretary. The Chief Election Officer for DUSU elections, DS <g data-gr-id="24">Rawat,</g> also informed that the voting was peaceful under heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces.

“I have spent three to four years in the university but still don’t feel safe. Whichever party comes to power, they should make the campus safe for girls,” said <g data-gr-id="22">Maghna</g> Chaudhry, a <g data-gr-id="23">1st year</g> law student of the varsity. The university had deployed 23 observers who visited the 50 centres where the polling took place. The DU administration had installed CCTV cameras to ensure free and fair polling. The counting of votes will take place on Saturday.