NEW DELHI: The Delhi University is sprawling abuzz with anticipation as its over 2.75 lakh students are eligible to vote in one of the country’s most high-profile student elections on Thursday.
The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) polls, often seen as a launchpad for national politics, this year carry the weight of history, a visible shift in campaign style, and the promise of a new generation of leadership.
Voting will be conducted in two shifts -- 8.30 am to 1 pm for day scholars and 3 pm to 7.30 pm for evening students. Results will be declared on September 19.
As the campus prepares for polling, security has been tightened. Over 600 police officers have been deployed, 160 of them equipped with body-worn cameras, along with extra CCTV surveillance and drones to monitor activities.
North District DCP Raja Banthia said that “every inch of the campus” will be under police surveillance on Thursday.
He added that traffic management will also receive special attention, with certain routes diverted or closed, and a student-only pedestrian route created to ensure smooth polling.
For the first time in years, the walls of colleges and hostels have been left unscarred by posters and graffiti, thanks to strict enforcement of anti-defacement rules under the Lyngdoh Committee guidelines. The shift has been widely noticed.
“We are happy that this year no defacement is visible in the campuses, which used to be our major problem,” DUSU Chief Election Officer Raj Kishore Sharma stated.
On Wednesday, the Delhi High Court barred candidates and student organisations from taking out victory processions anywhere in the national capital after the results of the DUSU polls on September 19.
The court further directed the Delhi Police, DU officials and civil administration to take all possible and permissible steps to stop any untoward incident during the DUSU polls and to ensure that no violation of regulations takes place during the elections.
The campaign, which ended at 8 am on Wednesday, was marked by quieter debates and issue-based canvassing, contrasting with the poster wars and wall slogans of the past.
Over 25 complaints were registered with the election committee, and nine show-cause notices were issued to seven central panel candidates — a reminder that the rules are being watched closely.
At the heart of the contest are three main groups -- the RSS-affiliated ABVP, the Congress-backed NSUI and the Left-supported SFI-AISA alliance. Each has released manifestoes emphasising reforms, inclusivity and student welfare.
But what makes 2025 distinctive is the presence of strong women contenders vying for the president’s post, something the Delhi University has not seen in nearly two decades.
NSUI’s Joslyn Choudhary, SFI-AISA’s Anjali, and ABVP’s Aryan Maan are campaigning on hostel shortages, campus safety, gender sensitisation, fee hikes, transport, and sports facilities. With a larger voter base, the 2025 DUSU polls promise a high-stakes, inclusive contest.